4 ms·

I don't think it has much to do with chemical treatment or not. A lot of U.S. cities also have hard water; that depends mostly on the source, with groundwater s

I don't think it has much to do with chemical treatment or not. A lot of U.S. cities also have hard water; that depends mostly on the source, with groundwater sources having more minerals than reservoir or lake sources. The main differences in U.S. treatment are that it fluoridates and chlorinates the water, it doesn't normally do demineralization. Also the fluoridation isn't even really a difference in this case: Copenhagen's water supply naturally has high levels of fluoride, similar to the levels that the U.S. adds. But I agree Copenhagen's water is fine for drinking. I even like the taste. What it's a problem for is fixtures and appliances, which chalk up extremely fast, even compared to other areas I've lived with hard water. Showers, faucets, etc. all needs to be "de-kalked" at least every week, ideally every few days. Even simply leaving a glass of water out on the counter for one day will start to produce chalk lines that take effort to remove. Keeping an espresso machine operational is also a challenge, requiring pretty religious usage of the cleaning cycle with a de-chalking tablet.

marcoperaza 11y ago
Have you considered using bottled water with the optimum level of minerals for your espresso machine?
- madaxe_again 11y ago
  You kid, but it gets really frustrating when consumer goods die after two months because your tap water is pretty much liquid chalk. Pour a glass, leave it for an hour, there'll be a few mm of calcium carbonate precipitated out in the bottom of your glass. Can't use it for ice (just crumbles - too mineralised), coffee and tea end up with a skin, anything that quick-boils water, like an espresso machine, is destined for the trash heap.
  - marcoperaza 11y ago
    I was being dead serious. A good espresso machine is a big investment and I think it's common for people to use bottled water in them when the local tap isn't ideal for taste or machine health. I can imagine that kind of tap water being extremely frustrating. I've been very satisfied with the tap water everywhere I've lived, but it sounds like I'd be a bottled water guy in Copenhagen.
- zhte415 11y ago
  Optimal measures of bottled/mineral water for a coffee device? Is this reality that is worth getting out of bed for?
  - deleted 11y ago
    [deleted]

marcoperaza 11y ago

Have you considered using bottled water with the optimum level of minerals for your espresso machine?

madaxe_again 11y ago
You kid, but it gets really frustrating when consumer goods die after two months because your tap water is pretty much liquid chalk. Pour a glass, leave it for an hour, there'll be a few mm of calcium carbonate precipitated out in the bottom of your glass. Can't use it for ice (just crumbles - too mineralised), coffee and tea end up with a skin, anything that quick-boils water, like an espresso machine, is destined for the trash heap.
- marcoperaza 11y ago
  I was being dead serious. A good espresso machine is a big investment and I think it's common for people to use bottled water in them when the local tap isn't ideal for taste or machine health. I can imagine that kind of tap water being extremely frustrating. I've been very satisfied with the tap water everywhere I've lived, but it sounds like I'd be a bottled water guy in Copenhagen.
zhte415 11y ago
Optimal measures of bottled/mineral water for a coffee device? Is this reality that is worth getting out of bed for?
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]