But water is also the biggest killer of equipment in the kitchen. We catch up with Miles Dawson, sales director, BRITA Professional, who explains what affect water can have on your business.
“Over 30,000 litres of water runs through a combi oven a year – and similar volumes through an espresso machine. With water passing through equipment at such high volumes it can have a serious affect on your equipment and business for many reasons. But despite playing such an important role in every foodservice and hospitality operation, it isn’t always taken as seriously as it should be.
“The problem with water is that, if it is left untreated, your equipment is at risk of a damaging build up of scale. We know that water alone is responsible for 70% of beverage machine breakdowns in the UK – which is a staggeringly high statistic.
“Scale is most common in hard water areas which equates to about 60% of the UK. In these areas, coffee machines and combis will be more susceptible to scale than in soft water areas. This is because of temporary hardness in the water, also known as carbonate hardness which causes limescale deposits to form inside equipment when the water is heated. The deposits tend to collect on boiler valves, steam outlets and all the other parts of equipment that water touches. And if it’s left, this can quickly cause equipment to breakdown.
“So, when you bear in mind the amount of water used across coffee machines and catering equipment, it’s a serious consideration and one of the biggest factors in keeping your operation running smoothly.
“It’s not just breakdowns from scale that’s a problem. Carbonate hardness also causes discolouration, taste impairment and scum to form on top of tea and coffee, if present in high enough concentrations. Water also contains other things – all of which can affect the aroma, flavour and taste of coffee, tea and water-based foods.
“There’s many different water treatment solutions on the market which operators can use to protect equipment from the damaging build up of scale and to ensure the quality and consistency of product. For example with filtration, calcium and magnesium ions are selectively removed from the water. With the correct water filter installed your combi oven and espresso machines will be protected from breakdown and costly disruption to service avoided in your kitchen.
“Whatever method of water treatment you choose its ongoing maintenance is crucially important. With water filtration a cartridge must be replaced regularly – and included in the housekeeping schedule of the kitchen. Prevention is better than cure after all – just like you’d MOT your car. With proper water treatment the risk of scale build up is eliminated, your equipment protected, downtime minimised and a better quality end product served.
“Water is something operators can’t afford to overlook. It makes business sense to protect your bottom line with effective water treatment.”
For more information on BRITA Professional call 0844 742 4940 or visit www.brita.co.uk/professional