Coffee is about 98 percent water, and your coffee machine is mostly a water heater with a pump. On hard borehole water, common around Humansdorp, the water you put in the tank decides how good your coffee tastes and how long the machine lasts. Here is how to choose well.
On hard borehole water, do not fill your coffee machine straight from the tap. Test your water hardness, use the machine's filter cartridge or a jug filter, or use filtered rainwater or bottled water low in minerals. Avoid distilled or reverse osmosis water on its own, as some minerals help taste and some machines need them to sense water levels. Descale according to your real hardness.
Why water matters so much
Water affects your coffee machine in two ways:
1. Taste. Minerals, chlorine and other dissolved substances change how coffee extracts and tastes. Very hard water can make coffee flat or chalky; very soft or pure water can make it sour and thin. 2. Machine health. Hardness minerals form scale in the heater, pipes and valves. Sediment can block inlets and damage pumps and valves.
Getting the water right improves both.
Know your water
Hardness
Most bean-to-cup machines come with a test strip. Dip it in your water and compare the colours to the chart. If you do not have one, test strips are available from pool shops and hardware stores. Many borehole supplies in the Humansdorp area are moderately to very hard.
Sediment
Fill a clear glass with your tap water and let it stand for an hour. If fine particles settle at the bottom or the water looks cloudy, you have sediment that should be filtered out.
Taste and smell
Borehole water can have an earthy or mineral taste, or traces of iron. Tank water may taste of the roof or tank. Both carry through into coffee.
Your options
The machine's own filter cartridge
Many bean-to-cup machines take a filter cartridge in the water tank. It reduces hardness and some impurities. Use it, register it in the machine's menu so the descale reminder adjusts, and change it on schedule, usually every couple of months or after a set volume. On very hard water, it may need changing more often.
Jug filters
A pitcher-style filter reduces some hardness, chlorine and sediment. Fill the machine's tank from the filtered jug. It is an affordable step that helps a lot.
Filtered rainwater
Rainwater is naturally very soft, which is good for scale. Tank rainwater often carries sediment and organic matter, so filter it before use. Very soft water can taste slightly flat in coffee, but many people do not notice.
Bottled water
Still bottled water with a low to moderate mineral content works well. Avoid highly mineralised mineral waters, which can cause scale.
Distilled or reverse osmosis water
Pure water causes almost no scale, but it is not ideal on its own. Coffee extracts poorly in very pure water, so it can taste sour and thin. Some machines also use the water's conductivity to sense levels, and may not detect pure water properly. If you use it, check your manual, and consider blending it with some filtered tap water.
Whole-house softeners and filters
If your borehole water is very hard, a whole-house softener protects every appliance. Softened water is usually fine for coffee machines, though very high sodium levels from some softeners can affect taste.
Set the machine to your water
Once you know your hardness, enter it into the machine's settings. This makes the descale warning appear at the right time. If you use a filter cartridge, register it so the machine adjusts its calculations.
Descale on time
Even with good water, scale builds up slowly. Descale when the machine asks, using a descaler suitable for coffee machines. On unfiltered hard water, consider descaling more often than the default.
Signs your water is hurting your machine
- White crust around the spouts, steam wand or drip tray
- Coffee getting weaker and cooler over time
- Slower flow and a noisier pump
- Frequent descale warnings
- White flakes in the water tank
If you see these, descale and improve your water. If the machine is already struggling, a professional descale and service can restore it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use borehole water straight from the tap in my coffee machine?
You can, but if it is hard or carries sediment, it will scale and wear the machine faster. Filtering it is strongly recommended.
Is rainwater good for coffee machines?
It is soft, which reduces scale, but filter it first to remove sediment and organic matter.
Should I use distilled water?
Not on its own. It can make coffee taste thin, and some machines need minerals to sense water levels. Check your manual.
Apex HVAC is an independent company and is not affiliated with or authorised by any appliance manufacturer. This guide is general advice. For anything involving electricity or refrigerant gas, use a qualified technician.
Need a hand? See our coffee machine repair service in Humansdorp.