Is your water safe for my coffee equipment considering it contains calcium?Updated 9 months ago
Yes. Our mineral profiles are completely safe for your equipment.
Not all calcium is "bad" calcium.
Bad Calcium: CaCO3
CaCO3, Calcium Carbonate, is bad calcium. It is formed from the reaction of calcium cations and carbonate ions that are commonly found in many natural waters as well as treated waters. Calcium Carbonate is what causes limescale to form because it is temporary hardness. Its solubility decreases when temperature increases.
When CaCO3 is present in your water in your coffee maker, for example, when the water heats up to brewing temperature, it then precipitates out of solution in the water and adheres to the surface of the container it is in, causing scale because it is not soluble once the water evaporates. Over time, that layer of minerals builds up and can cause overheating, bad tasting coffee, and a decreased lifespan for your equipment.
The Good Stuff: Third Wave Water
All Third Wave Water minerals, which are permanent hardness, will not cause that same type of scale to build up. Like Calcium Carbonate, when the water evaporates, the mineral residue will be left inside. However, Third Wave Water minerals are still soluble after that evaporation, so any new water introduced will re-dissolve them. This means that there is no need to descale your equipment.
All Third Wave Water profiles contain only permanent hardness. None of our profiles will cause any scale!
One of TWW's founders, Taylor, made a short video to illustrate this difference between temporary and permanent hardness. Check out the video below!