Water Usage Guide

Overview

Water is the single most important part of maintaining a functional espresso machine and using the wrong kind of water will void your warranty and lead to costly repairs. This Article will discuss what kind of water is safe to use and how to get the correct water for your espresso machine. 

Identifying Your Machine

Not every machine is created the same and it is important to identify the boiler material the manufacturer used when making your espresso machine. While there are a few exceptions, boilers are largely made of either stainless steel or a brass/copper mix. If you are unsure check with the seller or manufacturer to confirm the boiler material. 

• Brass/Copper Boilers 
• Brass/Copper boilers are far more corrosion resistant than stainless steel and as a result they only require water to be softened and free of calcium carbonate.
• Pasquini Coffee Co. recommends between 0-40 ppm of calcium carbonate which can be measured using a Vivreau Temporary Hardness Test kit.
• Stainless Steel Boilers
• Stainless steel boilers are much more picky when it comes to water quality and due to their low corrosion resistance compared to brass, you must ensure that water is free of chlorides as well as calcium carbonate. This makes finding the correct water more difficult as there are very limited ways to remove chlorides from the water. 
• Pasquini Coffee Co. recommends between 0-40 ppm of calcium carbonate which can be measured using a Vivreau Temporary Hardness Test kit.
• Pasquini Coffee Co. recommends chloride levels of 0-30 ppm  which can be measured with a La Marzocco Water Test Kit. 

Water Solutions for Machines with Brass/Copper Boilers

Now that you have identified you have a machine with a brass/copper boiler, below are some ways to obtain soft water.

1. Water Softening Packet
• The BWT BestSave S water softening packet is a great and easy solution for soft water. These packets contain an ion exchange resin that absorbs harmful calcium carbonate while leaving calcium magnesite to ensure the water still tastes great.
2. Cartridge or Inline Ion Exchange System (Recommended)
• Ion exchange cartridges are the best way to get soft water as they not only soften the water but actually improve the flavor as well creating coffee and espresso that is far better than alternative filter solutions. 
• Pasquini Coffee Co. recommends the Vivreau Purity C Quell ST as it can be used for espresso/coffee applications but also for drinking water due to the activated carbon layer for enhanced taste and odor. The Vivreau Purity C Quell ST comes in 5 modular sizes and we offer a discounted starter kit bundle to get you everything you need for perfect water. 
• As a perk, contact us about our free discount offer if you replace an existing filter with a Vivreau filter system. 
3. Bottled Water (Not Recommended) 
• Bottled water is not the same as soft water. Calcium carbonate levels are almost never posted on the bottle and you must contact the manufacturer to inquire if the bottled water contains calcium carbonate or not. Do not use bottled water unless you can verify it is soft. 
• If you are unable to obtain the calcium carbonate levels from the manufacturer then use a Vivreau Temporary Hardness Test Kit to test the calcium carbonate levels to ensure they are under 40 ppm. 

• Reverse osmosis (R/O) filter with mineralizer or bypass
• If you use this filter, make sure it has a mineralizer or bypass as pure R/O water will be too pure and cause sensor malfunctions in your espresso machine. 

1. Cartridge or Inline Ion Exchange System (Recommended)
• Please note that an ion exchange cartridge like the Vivreau Purity C Quell ST is only suitable for stainless steel boilers if the chloride levels are 50ppm or below. For water with chloride levels above 50ppm, see the anion filter (Vivreau XtraSafe) below. 
• You can test the chloride levels with a La Marzocco Water Test Kit. 
• Ion exchange cartridges are the best way to get soft water as they not only soften the water but actually improve the flavor as well creating coffee and espresso that is far better than alternative filter solutions. 
• Pasquini Coffee Co. recommends the Vivreau Purity C Quell ST as it can be used for espresso/coffee applications but also for drinking water due to the activated carbon layer for enhanced taste and odor. The Vivreau Purity C Quell ST comes in 5 modular sizes and we offer a discounted starter kit bundle to get you everything you need for perfect water. 
• As a perk, contact us about our free discount offer if you replace an existing filter with a Vivreau filter system. 
2. Cartridge or Inline Anion System (Recommended)
• If your water has chloride levels above 50ppm (measured with a La Marzocco Water Test Kit), then you will need to use an anion water filtration system like the Vivreau XtraSafe.
• Compared to the Vivreau Purity C Quell ST, the Vivreau XtraSafe has an additional layer of filtration called the anion exchange which traps chlorides and makes water safe for use with stainless steel. If left unchecked, high levels of chlorides will cause pitting in stainless steel and ultimately ruin the boiler and the machine. 
• Pasquini Coffee Co. recommends the Vivreau XtraSafe as it can be used for espresso/coffee applications but also for drinking water due to the activated carbon layer for enhanced taste and odor. The Vivreau XtraSafe comes in a single size but uses the same head unit as the Purity C Quell ST so you can simply switch between filters if your water supply changes. We also offer a discounted starter kit bundle to get you everything you need for perfect water. 
• As a perk, contact us about our free discount offer if you replace an existing filter with a Vivreau filter system. 
3. Reverse Osmosis with a Calibrated Bypass or Mineralizer (Not Recommended)
• While a high quality R/O system with a mineralizer or calibrated bypass valve will work and protect a machine with a stainless steel boiler, Pasquini Coffee Co. does not recommend them due to their vast amount of waste water and other various reasons below.
• R/O is extremely wasteful and produces 2 gallons of contaminated waste water for every gallon of freshwater.
• R/O systems are expensive ($3000+ for quality units)
• R/O systems are cumbersome and can take up 2-3 feet or more of cabinet space when accounting for an accumulator tank. 
• R/O systems are complicated to maintain and often require quarterly service by a trained technician
• Both the Vivreau XtraSafe and Purity C Quell ST have user replaceable cartridges thanks to the modular head unit. 
• R/O systems require a dedicated drain for the excessive wastewater runoff. 

Now that we have touched on how to acquire good water, lets talk about improper water. Below is a list of water to avoid:

• Tap water
• Most tap water is hard, unless you can verify that your city's water is soft, avoid tap water at all costs. 
• Spring water
• Due to lake beds and natural springs containing rocks and being made of earth, most spring water has high calcium carbonate levels. unless the manufacturer says otherwise, do not use spring water. 
• Alkaline water
• Alkaline water is tricky as alkaline doesn't actually mean anything besides the PH is above 7. You must find out why the water is alkaline before using it in your espresso machine. If calcium carbonate (which has a high PH) is the alkaline component of the water then you cannot use it. Please note, most tap water is alkaline due to this reason and is why it cannot be used. Check with the manufacturer before using any alkaline water to determine which chemical is creating the alkalinity. 
• Distilled water
• Distilled water is soft and will not harm a machine. However, because of the lack of mineral content, distilled water will most likely cause sensor issues and prevent your machine from functioning. If you only have access to Distilled water, add 3-5oz of tap water per gallon to add necessary minerals for the machine to function properly. 
• Reverse osmosis water without a bypass or mineralizer 
• R/O units without a bypass or mineralizer suffer the same fate as distilled water and will cause the same sensor issues and leave the machine non functional.  If you only have access to pure R/O water, add 3-5oz of taper water per gallon to add necessary minerals for the machine to function properly. 
• Taste and odor filters
•  This is a large category of water filters and includes filters such as Britta filters, built in refrigerator filters, and most common under counter filters for a sink mounted water spigots. Taste and odor filters do not soften water or remove calcium carbonate. Unless the filter specifically states it reduces calcium carbonate, It cannot be used for an espresso machine. Check with the manufacturer before using any pitcher, refrigerator, or under counter filter. 

Thank you for reading our water usage guide. If you have any additional questions on water quality please contact us.