Water Quality Facts and FAQs

Chloramine can be harder to reduce than chlorine, so 3M uses a special carbon block that has been designed to trap it specifically. The carbon block’s surface has also been modified to maximize the rate of chloramine capture. Activated carbon filters can vary in micron rating from 5 microns down to 0.5 microns, meaning various pore sizes are available depending on which contaminants are present in local water. Please see your product label or product detail page in our online catalog for which products reduce chloramines that may be used to disinfect your water.

Reasons to replace your carbon filter: Activated carbon filters can become blocked by particles in the water over time preventing water from passing through. The amount of water used and the concentration of sediment impact how quickly the carbon filter will clog. (Think of a sieve with sand and rice constantly flowing through it. Over time, the rice will likely block the holes and sand will no longer be able to pass through.)

Additionally, replacing your filter is needed due to exhaustion of the filtration media. The estimated "life" of 3M activated carbon commercial foodservice filters often range from 6-12 months. See the product label and operating manual for rated capacity for each 3M commercial foodservice water filtration system. Local water conditions and actual use of the filter influence change-out intervals. If you notice a drop in flow rate or an unpleasant taste in the beverages you’re processing, it’s most likely time to replace your filter.

Polyphosphates are additives that are dosed into water at a controlled rate to inhibit scale. The dosing can be performed manually or automatically at levels of around two parts per million (ppm). Water filters that contain polyphosphates usually hold them within the cartridge and slowly dose the water as it passes through.

The scale-inhibition technique works by coating the magnesium and calcium ions to prevent them from sticking to water-contact surfaces of equipment. This helps prevent them from accumulating on heating coils and blocking water lines. Dosing does not physically remove the calcium and magnesium from the water, but instead simply inhibits their ability to form scale.

Polyphosphate treatment works best for soft to moderately hard water for applications such as ice or coffee but becomes less effective in very hard water areas and for applications such as espresso or steam where other technologies such as ion-exchange or reverse osmosis will be required.

Reason to replace your polyphosphates filter: Over time, as polyphosphates get added and mixed into the water they diminish. (Think of it like eating a piece of hard candy – it gets smaller and smaller until it’s fully dissolved). When exhausted, there’s no more protection against scale.

Ion exchange resin is used to reduce scale minerals from the water and is a highly effective treatment for moderate to very hard water. It works by reducing calcium and magnesium ions which cause water hardness and scaling. It does this by passing the water through a polymeric resin that is impregnated with ions that strongly attract the calcium and magnesium ions. As the name “ion-exchange resin” suggests, calcium and magnesium ions, which have high scaling potential, are exchanged with other ions that do not have as high of a scaling potential.

Reason to replace your ion exchange filter: Like polyphosphates, they can be exhausted. In time, the resin will become saturated with calcium and magnesium ions, so the filter cartridge must be replaced because the ion exchange capacity has been reached.

Reverse osmosis (RO) is a relatively unique technology and with the right design, it can be used in any level of water hardness. It is most cost effective when used in hard water areas to reduce scale.

Reverse osmosis can allow for filtration down to 0.0005 microns. It is commonly used to protect and filter multiple pieces of equipment at one time, as opposed to the one filter per equipment item as is standard with other water filter technologies. RO membranes are self-cleaning, so units last for a considerable time, generally 2-3 years. In cases where high hardness leads to rapid exhaustion and frequent replacement of ion-exchange resin filters, reverse osmosis may be more cost efficient over time.