How your water affects your cooking
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Date: 2025-07-08
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Comments and reviews: 20
Wavebeam64
loved the level of nerdiness. I live in a city with a sort of locally-famous water source: an aquifer that we pump from like 12 different stations around the city. notably, the larger city next door had an issue with their river-sourced water and an algae bloom that made their water undrinkable and our city was providing safe-to-drink water stations for those neighbor citizens for like weeks. it cost the neighboring city millions of dollars to reinforce their system against that kind of contamination in the future. anyway, due to my city's water being from a aquifer causes it to be on the hard end of the scale (pun intended; my fridge looks like yours, but it's locally famous because people believe that it tastes good, makes better beer and coffee, and is better for showering i think idk, i don't find it special until i go to like california, texas, or florida where it's always much worse tasting.
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loved the level of nerdiness. I live in a city with a sort of locally-famous water source: an aquifer that we pump from like 12 different stations around the city. notably, the larger city next door had an issue with their river-sourced water and an algae bloom that made their water undrinkable and our city was providing safe-to-drink water stations for those neighbor citizens for like weeks. it cost the neighboring city millions of dollars to reinforce their system against that kind of contamination in the future. anyway, due to my city's water being from a aquifer causes it to be on the hard end of the scale (pun intended; my fridge looks like yours, but it's locally famous because people believe that it tastes good, makes better beer and coffee, and is better for showering i think idk, i don't find it special until i go to like california, texas, or florida where it's always much worse tasting.
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LiborTinka
You don't need RO to soften water. For cooking, dissolving a little sodium carbonate in bulk of water and letting the calcium precipitate overnight, then decanting the water will remove most calcium (precipitates as calcium carbonate. It needs to be sodium carbonate, not bicarbonate, because the latter would only form relatively soluble calcium bicarbonate - some might precipitate by common-ion effect but not that much. The softened water will contain some sodium bicarbonate after the treatment but one can't even taste the saltiness and we salt water during cooking anyway.
There are couple good websites discussing types of water hardness (e. g. dissolved CO2 plays a role) and several other methods of softening, both chemical and physical, such as ion-exchange.
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You don't need RO to soften water. For cooking, dissolving a little sodium carbonate in bulk of water and letting the calcium precipitate overnight, then decanting the water will remove most calcium (precipitates as calcium carbonate. It needs to be sodium carbonate, not bicarbonate, because the latter would only form relatively soluble calcium bicarbonate - some might precipitate by common-ion effect but not that much. The softened water will contain some sodium bicarbonate after the treatment but one can't even taste the saltiness and we salt water during cooking anyway.
There are couple good websites discussing types of water hardness (e. g. dissolved CO2 plays a role) and several other methods of softening, both chemical and physical, such as ion-exchange.
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spencerhall6052
Your tap water is absolutely soft compared to many cities in Arizona. My city doesn't report that in their water quality report, but by taste and nearby cities, it's very high.
Other things that water hardness impacts is laundry and dishwashing. The calcium and magnesium ions bind with the detergents which ends up leading to reduced cleaning efficiency and soap scum. If you actually look at soaps and detergents, you can actually see ingredients like EDTA where part of the purpose is to favorably bind to these ions to free up the detergent to actually work. This helps for low and moderately hard water, but for very hard water you can benefit by adding other additives that also favorably bind to those ions, like baking or washing soda.
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Your tap water is absolutely soft compared to many cities in Arizona. My city doesn't report that in their water quality report, but by taste and nearby cities, it's very high.
Other things that water hardness impacts is laundry and dishwashing. The calcium and magnesium ions bind with the detergents which ends up leading to reduced cleaning efficiency and soap scum. If you actually look at soaps and detergents, you can actually see ingredients like EDTA where part of the purpose is to favorably bind to these ions to free up the detergent to actually work. This helps for low and moderately hard water, but for very hard water you can benefit by adding other additives that also favorably bind to those ions, like baking or washing soda.
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natediemer1306
Citric Acid is probably the best acid for cleaning coffee equipment because it's easier to get any taste from it to go away - it's basically just distilled citrus and used in many processed drinks to make them sour (check your bottle of Fanta. You can buy it in bulk crystalized form which ends up being way less expensive than buying liquid coffee-maker-cleaning-solution. Technically vinegar descales just as well but it's pretty easy to imaging how a cup of coffee tasting vaguely of white vinegar would be less pleasant than one tasting slightly more sour/acidic
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Citric Acid is probably the best acid for cleaning coffee equipment because it's easier to get any taste from it to go away - it's basically just distilled citrus and used in many processed drinks to make them sour (check your bottle of Fanta. You can buy it in bulk crystalized form which ends up being way less expensive than buying liquid coffee-maker-cleaning-solution. Technically vinegar descales just as well but it's pretty easy to imaging how a cup of coffee tasting vaguely of white vinegar would be less pleasant than one tasting slightly more sour/acidic
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aragusea
When I bought my house 20 years ago it was plumbed for a water softener. First thing I did was install one from Lowes. Later I added an under sink RO unit in the kitchen. The soft water has really protected my appliances and associated plumbing fixtures. I live in a hard water area, and it will quickly corrode faucets causing them to fail. Shower heads become clogged. Hard-water scale everywhere. Certainly affected my cooking and helps keep kidney stones at bay, which is something I've suffered from since my twenties.
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When I bought my house 20 years ago it was plumbed for a water softener. First thing I did was install one from Lowes. Later I added an under sink RO unit in the kitchen. The soft water has really protected my appliances and associated plumbing fixtures. I live in a hard water area, and it will quickly corrode faucets causing them to fail. Shower heads become clogged. Hard-water scale everywhere. Certainly affected my cooking and helps keep kidney stones at bay, which is something I've suffered from since my twenties.
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ap_red
I live on the East Coast of Yorkshire, UK, with hard water (112mg/l of calcium according to Yorkshire Water, 200-300mg/l according to Gov figures. This explains why I always seem to spend significantly cooking than most recipes estimate. Main things here is that drinking the water straight is unpleasant, we have a supply of cordial to mask the taste, and also the kettle builds up limescale ridiculously quickly, to the point I get flakes in my tea on at least a weekly basis.
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I live on the East Coast of Yorkshire, UK, with hard water (112mg/l of calcium according to Yorkshire Water, 200-300mg/l according to Gov figures. This explains why I always seem to spend significantly cooking than most recipes estimate. Main things here is that drinking the water straight is unpleasant, we have a supply of cordial to mask the taste, and also the kettle builds up limescale ridiculously quickly, to the point I get flakes in my tea on at least a weekly basis.
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AuroraCarlisle
Hard water also impacts the tannins in iced tea. When I lived in LA, where the water is very hard, I’d brew the tea, let it cool on the counter, and then place it in the fridge. In the AM, it would be cloudy and taste almost chalky. However, when brewing it the same way here in Portland, where we have some of the softest water in the country, I can practically stick it straight in the fridge and it never gets cloudy. Not sure why, but I definitely noticed it.
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Hard water also impacts the tannins in iced tea. When I lived in LA, where the water is very hard, I’d brew the tea, let it cool on the counter, and then place it in the fridge. In the AM, it would be cloudy and taste almost chalky. However, when brewing it the same way here in Portland, where we have some of the softest water in the country, I can practically stick it straight in the fridge and it never gets cloudy. Not sure why, but I definitely noticed it.
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russelljazzbeck
A few years ago I could not figure out why my coffee was so disgusting at home. I tested the water at home and it's 650 PPM! (Travis County, TX) I got some Third Wave Water (packets of minerals to make distilled water into moderately hard water for brewing coffee. That fixed it. Had great coffee ever since. I use a little electronic PPM tester (changes with temperature, so always measure at same temp) and now I set my PPM to about 150 for coffee.
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A few years ago I could not figure out why my coffee was so disgusting at home. I tested the water at home and it's 650 PPM! (Travis County, TX) I got some Third Wave Water (packets of minerals to make distilled water into moderately hard water for brewing coffee. That fixed it. Had great coffee ever since. I use a little electronic PPM tester (changes with temperature, so always measure at same temp) and now I set my PPM to about 150 for coffee.
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lucyfrye6723
We have 'dune water' where I live in Netherlands. I think it's quite uncommon. Where they use the natural filtration system of the landscape to get most of the purification work done. It gives great water but also very hard water. Every single faucet, bathroom tiles, mirrors, you see the white water stains everywhere that tap water is used a lot. The worst are heating spirals in electric kettles and washing machines.
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We have 'dune water' where I live in Netherlands. I think it's quite uncommon. Where they use the natural filtration system of the landscape to get most of the purification work done. It gives great water but also very hard water. Every single faucet, bathroom tiles, mirrors, you see the white water stains everywhere that tap water is used a lot. The worst are heating spirals in electric kettles and washing machines.
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eugenebebs7767
Ever since I was a kid, tea in my grandma's countryside cottage felt off. Not bad, it just had no taste, only sweetness from the sugar, despite the tea being very strong. I though that tea was just bad, then I brought my own tea from the city, and it also didn't taste like anything. It was then I figured out that the well water was full of minerals, that's why it left chalky residue on the bottom of the jug.
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Ever since I was a kid, tea in my grandma's countryside cottage felt off. Not bad, it just had no taste, only sweetness from the sugar, despite the tea being very strong. I though that tea was just bad, then I brought my own tea from the city, and it also didn't taste like anything. It was then I figured out that the well water was full of minerals, that's why it left chalky residue on the bottom of the jug.
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Dead. garden
I use well water sorry ground water.
It freezes almost clear but i need to go to a public well so you just waiting for the other guy unfortunately there normally illegal and leave the hose in there alge full tanks ive seen people get sick because they wont pull the hose out.
I normally just spill my first qorter on the ground and turn it so the hose cleans itself a bit.
Its 40 gallons for 25 cents
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I use well water sorry ground water.
It freezes almost clear but i need to go to a public well so you just waiting for the other guy unfortunately there normally illegal and leave the hose in there alge full tanks ive seen people get sick because they wont pull the hose out.
I normally just spill my first qorter on the ground and turn it so the hose cleans itself a bit.
Its 40 gallons for 25 cents
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matthewwynne939
Part of my job involves servicing oxygen concentrators which use distilled water to humidify the are being administered. The water needs to be distilled so there aren't any minerals that can build up in the line. I got a call one time and when I showed up discovered the family had been using alkalized water, probably the worst possible choice, and no wonder so much had become clogged.
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Part of my job involves servicing oxygen concentrators which use distilled water to humidify the are being administered. The water needs to be distilled so there aren't any minerals that can build up in the line. I got a call one time and when I showed up discovered the family had been using alkalized water, probably the worst possible choice, and no wonder so much had become clogged.
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alexphelps7042
Our well water is very hard. Like bathroom tile turning back into stone hard. Neither of our reverse osmosis filters re-mineralize the water and I do occasionally find myself buying bottled mineral water. However, those where $250 installed and fit seamlessly in under sink cabinents. Meaning that both of them combined with labor costs were cheaper than this videos sponsor.
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Our well water is very hard. Like bathroom tile turning back into stone hard. Neither of our reverse osmosis filters re-mineralize the water and I do occasionally find myself buying bottled mineral water. However, those where $250 installed and fit seamlessly in under sink cabinents. Meaning that both of them combined with labor costs were cheaper than this videos sponsor.
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aragusea
where I lived in caliornia nobody has water softeners and the only time I ever saw water less than 300ppm of GH was when people had messed up way too soft water that killed every fish it touched. the supposed hardness from the city is like 30 ppm or ultra soft but testing with strips, drops, multiple brands of tests its all way over 300.
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where I lived in caliornia nobody has water softeners and the only time I ever saw water less than 300ppm of GH was when people had messed up way too soft water that killed every fish it touched. the supposed hardness from the city is like 30 ppm or ultra soft but testing with strips, drops, multiple brands of tests its all way over 300.
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AustinHansen
I wonder how far you could push it Like, if you took the same measurements/recipe but you cook or bake one with say, hard water at a high elevation and another one with soft water at a low elevation. How many of those environmental variables could you introduce and how noticeably different would the same recipe turn out with them
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I wonder how far you could push it Like, if you took the same measurements/recipe but you cook or bake one with say, hard water at a high elevation and another one with soft water at a low elevation. How many of those environmental variables could you introduce and how noticeably different would the same recipe turn out with them
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loganwolv3393
My favorite local water is borsec, it has 345mg/l of calcium and 109mg/l of Magnesium wich if you ask me that's pretty hard. 1/5th of your daily needs of mangesium in just a liter is pretty good. And the water with lower minerals they taste off to me, but who knows it could be the ratios that are off or the nitrates or whatnot.
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My favorite local water is borsec, it has 345mg/l of calcium and 109mg/l of Magnesium wich if you ask me that's pretty hard. 1/5th of your daily needs of mangesium in just a liter is pretty good. And the water with lower minerals they taste off to me, but who knows it could be the ratios that are off or the nitrates or whatnot.
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benjamin6909
Here in Munich, there is so much dissolved mineral content in the water that the first time you boil water in an electric kettle, any water you leave in the kettle will have a visible film of minerals floating on top. Our shower caddy has become coated with a thick layer of minerals just from water droplets drying on it.
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Here in Munich, there is so much dissolved mineral content in the water that the first time you boil water in an electric kettle, any water you leave in the kettle will have a visible film of minerals floating on top. Our shower caddy has become coated with a thick layer of minerals just from water droplets drying on it.
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helenswan705
Here in UK there's plenty of soft water. The place best known for hard water (tho not the only place) is London. Your kettle scales up, you can't make decent tea, and your soap won't lather. Several good reasons, if you need more, NOT to live in London! Oh I forget. You folks in USA don't have kettles or tea!
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Here in UK there's plenty of soft water. The place best known for hard water (tho not the only place) is London. Your kettle scales up, you can't make decent tea, and your soap won't lather. Several good reasons, if you need more, NOT to live in London! Oh I forget. You folks in USA don't have kettles or tea!
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entropic-decay
So fun personal anecdote: before I moved to where I live now, I lived in the Knoxville/Maryville area, and was too far out to be connected to any city water grid. House was next to the Loudoun reservoir and had well water. Very hard water.
I'm still used to distilling water myself if I need it soft.
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So fun personal anecdote: before I moved to where I live now, I lived in the Knoxville/Maryville area, and was too far out to be connected to any city water grid. House was next to the Loudoun reservoir and had well water. Very hard water.
I'm still used to distilling water myself if I need it soft.
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robertmeunier9915
I used vinegar for years for this and other purposes, but was disappointed in it's ability to clean the scale buildup out of my dishwasher, so I switched to citric acid. I use that to remove lime scale around the house and run a cycle with it in my dishwasher and in my washing machine monthly.
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I used vinegar for years for this and other purposes, but was disappointed in it's ability to clean the scale buildup out of my dishwasher, so I switched to citric acid. I use that to remove lime scale around the house and run a cycle with it in my dishwasher and in my washing machine monthly.
reply
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