I live in an area whose water supply is around 200-300ppm TDS. I'm not letting that come anywhere near my E61 machine, so I use the "Zero Water" filters and then remineralize. This is convenient, but the filters don't last long, given the water they have to work with. How do you treat your water? Do you use RO? Is there a less wasteful/expensive method of water purification I don't know about? Thanks in advance for all your advice.

I’m around 130 TDS and I’m still on my first filter since January - yesterday it was still giving me zero

@"Uncletits"#p70651 Thanks for that. I get through one filter a month. Once I've remineralised, I'm at around 120ppm. If I had water as relatively pure as yours, I might not even filter. 😉

@"PianoMan"#p70653 - my water reads 180ppm - 200ppm TDS. However, the hardness in terms of calcium carbonate is 310ppm. I use ZeroWater. One filter lasts me around 6 months. On average, I use 1.5L water a week.

@"Cuprajake"#p70661 Is that a standard RO system? Do you perhaps have a link?

I use this system. https://www.waterdropfilter.co.uk/collections/portable-reverse-osmosis/products/instant-hot-water-reverse-osmosis-system-wd-k19-h The price varies almost daily. I paid £279. It is quite quick, has worked faultlessly in the 2 months I have had it. They are a global company. I used to use the Osmio Zero system which is nearly £200 more. I do have to add bicarb back in to the water for use if my coffee machine but for me the pro's outweigh the con's I have just checked Amazon and it is currently £269 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Waterdrop-Instant-Dispensers-Countertop-WD-K19-H/dp/B0BRMWKJ19/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=38ZT436W2WYCE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.xkFNOU04MGbmwbEkqArwvPxM0ZgPRDd_EjIvyeavtS1sPKbhK2JXcWMbgOaoykchr_gCJCnx6D0bTKKp5PSjvcbYC_wxG4LpwLN-_AbFUDvwRwVxoTO2OSnHVjClQTjiH8D3UjftYrn74Z7GAi9UJMBcgBOC5jTxcg96_rnwPBSv7w3D6u2q7slbPltsDzg7_rWnUlffy4D02ATnRktAb_cyxJu1ZBlo2kc0WrntmZ0H5tJ3fP4D45rcuLOL37nR9AIZJeCeBcWx3G9tShu06m4G4J1t5OBrSNZE3uxCZyU.oEoPg7c9nWYXIdrOuFUw9DbKJpnmI4Y28kAxH4p8FMU&dib_tag=se&keywords=waterdrop+k19&qid=1723984248&sprefix=waterdrop+k19%2Caps%2C112&sr=8-1-spons&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.d7e5a2de-8759-4da3-993c-d11b6e3d217f&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

From what source to people get the purified water (i.e. with near-zero TDS)?

PianoMan

MediumRoastSteam I’m starting to think I’m a heavy coffee drinker. 🤣 I get through around 10L a week. Perhaps it’s because I have to flush the group head when I make a coffee. It’s not the most water-efficient process. ☹️

MediumRoastSteam

PianoMan Perhaps it’s because I have to flush the group head when I make a coffee

Yep! There’s no way I would have an old school HX machine if I was using distilled/RO/Bottled water as there’s a lot water wasted. I had a Rocket Cellini back in the day for 3 months or so, and experience this first hand. Flushing the machine before every use consumed like 200ml of water per session, wasted just for that. Two coffees a day, times 7, and that’s 2.8L wasted.

HarveyMushman

PianoMan I’m starting to think I’m a heavy coffee drinker. 🤣 I get through around 10L a week.

Assuming a 40ml coffee and a generous 40ml flush, that’s over 120 coffees a week… or 17 a day!

Is that right?

MattH

Live in Kent crazy hard water - have a full house softener - which then goes into the zero.

Usually get around 65-100 tpm - had the first set of filters in since april 24 - maint light just come on so it must have hit 2000 litres. Though tbh the readings seem fine still.

PianoMan

MattH A softener removes the calcium hardness, yes, not just a purifier? Forgive my ignorance as I’m fairly new to this. I share your frustration with water hardness. I honestly don’t think I could run an e61 style machine straight from the mains.

MattH

PianoMan Yes just the hardness (or at least reduces it) and then the Zero has to work less hard so it keeps the filters lasting longer.

Cuprajake

I make rodi water they cost about 80-100 to buy and install.

PianoMan

Cuprajake Is that a standard RO system? Do you perhaps have a link?

Cuprajake

PianoMan https://www.finest-filters.co.uk/50gpd-4-stage-complete-ro-reverse-osmosis-unit/

dfk41

I use this system.

https://www.waterdropfilter.co.uk/collections/portable-reverse-osmosis/products/instant-hot-water-reverse-osmosis-system-wd-k19-h

The price varies almost daily. I paid £279. It is quite quick, has worked faultlessly in the 2 months I have had it. They are a global company. I used to use the Osmio Zero system which is nearly £200 more. I do have to add bicarb back in to the water for use if my coffee machine but for me the pro’s outweigh the con’s

I have just checked Amazon and it is currently £269

PianoMan

dfk41 I didn’t realise countertop RO water dispensers were a thing! 😀 This might be the solution I’m looking for. Where does the waste water go?

DavecUK

dfk41 The price varies almost daily. I paid £279. It is quite quick, has worked faultlessly in the 2 months I have had it. They are a global company. I used to use the Osmio Zero system which is nearly £200 more. I do have to add bicarb back in to the water for use if my coffee machine but for me the pro’s outweigh the con’s

I have just checked Amazon and it is currently £269

I actually ordered one from Amazon to give it a try.

MattH

MattH sorry to be clear i use the countertop osmio zero 👍

dfk41

PianoMan It has a 5 litre container on the back with two compartments in it. The waste stays in one side (approximately 700 mls) meaning you get about 4.25 litres of useable water from 5 litres.

PianoMan

dfk41 You’ve given me something to think about, there, thank you.

PianoMan

Cuprajake Thanks for that. This might be the cheapest solution, but requires installation. 🤔

dfk41

PianoMan The process of producing RO water is very slow due to the intensity of the filtration process.

For an RO unit to be able to produce pure water, it needs to reject the majority of the water that goes into it. You will tend to get around 1 part pure water to 4 parts waste water. For example, every 10 litres of water that goes into the unit, you will get around 2-3 litres of pure RO water and the other 7-8 litres would go to waste.
This RO unit is purely for producing pure RO water. If you are using it for producing drinking water, you will need to remineralise the water before drinking due to the purity of the water the unit produces.
Due to the time it takes to produce RO water, If the water is going directly to a tap, you would also need a Pressurised Storage Tank so you always have water on hand ready for when the tap is opened.

PianoMan

dfk41 It does seem somewhat wasteful, but might still be a more elegant/frugal solution than the 5L bottles of water and the Zero Water filter. I still think a countertop solution like yours may be the best compromise.

MWJB

dfk41 I don’t think these water waste rates are typical for the counter top RO units, nor is the need for a pressurised storage tank, more for an under sink RO system.

dfk41

MWJB I lifted the text from the link that Jake sent, making you right!

Cuprajake

I run it for about 20mins and have 5l of rodi that I add potassium bicarbonate too.

Job done

Dusk

Cuprajake

Is yours just plumbed in under the sink? I assume you can fit a spur off a cold water pipe and add a valve

PianoMan

MediumRoastSteam it’s looking increasingly like I already have the best (least bad) solution. 😳 Even with a PID I still have to purge the head… and I have about five double shots a day. ⚰️

dfk41

DavecUK I will be interested to see how you find it. I am completely non inquisitive or engineering minded……that is your job!