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.

@"MediumRoastSteam"#p70655 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. ☹️

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.

@"MattH"#p70659 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.

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

@"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

@"PianoMan"#p70660 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.

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

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

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.

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. ⚰️

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.

dfk41

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

MediumRoastSteam

dual boiler next? 🤪👍

PianoMan

MediumRoastSteam I’m not made of water! Okay, technically, I am. 😅

Cuprajake

Have it at work.

Take 2 5l tubs and fill both waste is plumbed into the drain

PianoMan

Cuprajake

I do that!!! (I work from home)

MattH

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

mathof2

I use a Skuma counter-top RO machine with their Coffee Balance for remineralisation.

PianoMan

mathof2 How long do the filters and infusion last?

mathof2

PianoMan The infusion bottles seem to last about four weeks with my normal usage, 500ml of infused water per day. I’ve had my machine about a year and haven’t changed the filter yet.

PianoMan

mathof2 Can you run the machine without an infusion bottle?

mathof2

PianoMan I haven’t tried, but you can certainly run it with an empty bottle. You can also switch the infusion off at the press of a button if you want to draw pure RO water only.

PianoMan

I’m full of questions, but did you ever test your water, to see what the current TDS levels are? They’re under ten on a “Zero Water” filter, but I would tolerate a little higher than that.

MediumRoastSteam

PianoMan They’re under ten on a “Zero Water” filter

A ZeroWater filter, without the quotes around it😉, should give you a TDS of 0ppm. You would usually change it when it displays 4ppm.

When sodium bicarbonate is added at a rate of 100mg/L, the TDS then reads around 50ppm, from memory.

mathof2

PianoMan I’m full of questions, but did you ever test your water, to see what the current TDS levels are?

I tested it this evening. Tap water at my (London) flat measures 275 ppm. I put that in a Brita jug and it comes out at 227 ppm. I put Brita water in the reservoir of the Skuma, and RO water comes out at 34 ppm. Finally, after mineralisation with Coffee Balance infusion, I get 95 ppm (which goes into the expresso machine reservoir).

PianoMan

MediumRoastSteam I wanted people to know Zero Water was the brand, hence the quotes. It does initially run at zero ppm, but the amount of water I require (I have an HX machine which not only uses the water, but requires a purge, too), I don’t mind running it until about ten ppm or so. I remineralize to around 100pm with buffer and magnesium.

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