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Crystal‑Clear Glassware: Dishwasher Water Quality (Softener vs RO) for Bars & Cafés
Foam‑friendly, streak‑free, “beer‑clean” glasses don’t happen by accident. In Australian venues, the fastest wins come from matching your water treatment to local hardness, alkalinity and disinfectant type. This guide gives you benchmarks, a decision tree, calculators, state snapshots, regulator‑aligned SOPs and a grounded case study.
Relevant categories: Commercial Glasswashers · Underbench Dishwashers · Passthrough Dishwashers · Conveyor Dishwashers
1) Intent, persona & how to use this guide
Primary intent: help Australian venues choose between a water softener and reverse osmosis (RO) for glass/dish washers, using local water data and manufacturer limits. Keep it compliant, improve presentation, and cut call‑outs.
Audience personas
- Startup café/bar: wants “beer‑clean” glasses without polishing, minimal chemicals and predictable costs.
- Multi‑site ops: needs a repeatable spec (hardness thresholds, chloride limits, filter change schedule) that passes audits across states.
- Service tech/installer: needs one page of numeric limits (hardness, chlorides, conductivity) and a siting checklist to reduce rework.
Pillar & topic cluster: this sits under your warewashing pillar and links forward to “Detergent, Rinse Aid & Water Chemistry 101” and “Glasswasher commissioning checklist”.
2) “Beer‑clean” defined: what guests see
In beer service, a beer‑clean glass shows even sheeting, strong head formation and lacing rings with each sip. Industry manuals use three quick tests—sheeting, salt and lacing—to verify glass hygiene before service (Brewers Association, Draught Beer Quality Manual). See References.
- Sheeting: water coats evenly on a wet glass; droplets indicate residue.
- Salt: salt adheres evenly on a clean wet glass; bare patches show film.
- Lacing: foam forms parallel rings after each sip in a clean glass.
Training note: Cicerone resources echo the same “beer‑clean” checks and recommend a dedicated glasswashing process (separate from greasy wares). See References.
3) Compliance: what FSANZ expects (and what happens if you don’t)
What the standards require
- FSANZ Standard 3.2.3 — Food Premises & Equipment: use potable water for cleaning and sanitising; ice must be made from potable water.
- FSANZ Standard 3.2.2 — Food Safety Practices: keep equipment and utensils clean and sanitary. FSANZ guidance explains methods (mechanical washing preferred, double‑sink sequences if manual).
- FSANZ Standard 3.2.2A — in force nationally: many food service/retail businesses must have trained handlers, a Food Safety Supervisor, and evidence (records) that key controls—such as cleaning/sanitising—are being managed.
If you don’t comply
- Environmental Health Officers can require corrective actions and evidence (3.2.2A).
- Using non‑potable water for warewashing breaches 3.2.3 and risks contamination findings in inspections.
- Poor sanitising (residual films) shows up in beer‑clean failures—easily demonstrated via the lacing/sheeting tests.
Attach daily/weekly warewashing checks to the 3.2.2A evidence folder in your food safety plan. Links to FSANZ and “Safe Food Australia” are in References.
4) Water 101 for warewashing: hardness, alkalinity, TDS, chloramine
Hardness (mg/L as CaCO3)
Sum of calcium & magnesium. Drives limescale, whitish spotting and heater energy waste. Sydney Water notes Greater Sydney’s water is around ~57 mg/L (soft). Many utilities cite 200 mg/L as the aesthetic “hard” threshold (ADWG context). See References.
Alkalinity
Buffering capacity (often low in Melbourne supplies). High alkalinity can cause filming; combined with hardness it makes spotting tenacious.
TDS / Conductivity
Total dissolved solids. RO reduces TDS for spot‑free results; softeners do not (they swap Ca/Mg for Na). Some manufacturers also reference conductivity (e.g., targets around <400 µS/cm for best rinsing). See References.
Chlorine & chloramine (disinfectants)
Australian drinking water is disinfected with chlorine, and some networks also use monochloramine (e.g., parts of Sydney). The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) state a 5 mg/L health‑based guideline value for total chlorine, with utilities operating well below this at the tap. If you install RO, a carbon pre‑filter helps protect the membrane and manage taste/odour. See References.
5) State‑by‑state water snapshot (with utility links)
This snapshot helps you start a spec. Always confirm your suburb’s current data using the linked utility pages or reports.
| State/City (utility) | Typical hardness info (mg/L as CaCO3) | Notes / disinfectant | Where to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW (Sydney Water) | Greater Sydney around ~57 mg/L (soft/near‑soft) on the utility’s hardness explainer. | Chlorine and chloramine are used in parts of the network. | Sydney Water — water analysis (hardness & chlorine notes) · Daily quality report |
| VIC (Melbourne) | Soft water typical; South East Water cites ~12–45 mg/L across its area. | Films are often chemistry/temperature‑related more than scale. | South East Water — appliance & hardness guide · Melbourne Water — quality testing |
| QLD (SEQ — Urban Utilities) | Varies by scheme; confirm locally. Utility provides hardness guidance and definitions. | Check suburb before specifying treatment (softener/RO). | Urban Utilities — water hardness · Drinking water quality |
| WA (Water Corporation) | Hardness varies widely; groundwater‑influenced areas can be “hard”. | Utility references ADWG aesthetic “hard” at 200 mg/L. | Hard water explainer · Drinking water quality |
| SA (SA Water) | Notes >200 mg/L as “hard”; scaling risk increases. | Regional schemes often harder; verify your zone. | SA Water — hardness parameter |
| ACT (Icon Water) | Canberra ~43 mg/L (soft) with conversion chart. | Useful to set glasswasher/detergent baselines. | Icon Water — appliances & hardness conversions |
| TAS (TasWater) | Varies by scheme; check the statewide portal and annual reports. | Most systems low to moderate hardness; verify locally. | TasWater — your drinking water (portal) · Annual drinking water quality report |
6) Decision tree: softener vs RO (and when to add carbon)
Manufacturer examples set hardness maxima around 8 °dH (~142 mg/L as CaCO3) with chloride <20 ppm and conductivity targets around <400 µS/cm for top results. See Electrolux Professional and Winterhalter references.
7) Troubleshooting: rings, film, cloudiness → causes & fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix now | Prevent next time |
|---|---|---|---|
| White spots / crust | Hardness scale (CaCO3) dried on glass | Acid descale (follow machine manual); rewash with correct rinse aid | Add/commission softener; set regeneration by hardness; verify salt level |
| Uniform film / rainbow sheen | Detergent/rinse imbalance; high alkalinity; high TDS film | Reset detergent/rinse doses; run clear rinse cycle | Consider RO for spot‑free; check alkalinity and TDS; calibrate chemical pumps |
| Poor head retention on beer | Residual surfactants or oils; not “beer‑clean” | Deep clean racks; test with sheeting/salt; don’t use glass cycle for greasy wares | Dedicated glass cycle & chemicals; staff trained on beer‑clean tests (see Brewers Association/Cicerone) |
| Cloudy glasses (etched) | Permanent etching from high alkalinity/temperature or abrasive detergents | Replace etched glass; adjust cycle & chemistry | Use correct detergent strength and rinse aid; monitor alkalinity and rinse temps per manual |
| Machine scale, heater faults | Hardness untreated; infrequent resin regeneration | Descale professionally; restore flow, clear jets | Set softener capacity to your hardness; schedule salt refills and periodic resin change |
8) What manufacturers ask for (numbers you can file)
Examples from manufacturer documents (model‑dependent; always check your manual):
- Max feed hardness without softening: typically around 8 °dH (≈142 mg/L as CaCO3).
- Max chlorides: often <20 ppm to protect stainless and glass results.
- Max conductivity: often <400 µS/cm for best rinsing/spot‑free results.
See: Electrolux Professional glasswasher manuals and handbooks; Winterhalter water treatment brochure and AU product pages (links in References).
9) Mini calculators
Hardness converter
Utilities and manuals use different units. ADWG‑referenced hardness classifications are widely used by Australian utilities.
Simple ROI: no‑polish glasses with RO
Back‑of‑envelope model to value labour saved by no‑polish RO versus extra water use. Use your real rinse volumes and tariffs.
10) SOPs: daily/weekly care that protects results & warranty
Daily (end of shift)
- Scrape & rack: keep oils/fats out of glass cycles (beer‑clean standard — see Brewers Association).
- Detergent/rinse aid: verify levels; run a test rack; check sheeting on a wet glass.
- Wipe seals; remove/clean filters and wash/rinse arms.
- Log cleaning in your 3.2.2A records (who, when).
Weekly
- Softener: confirm salt level; regeneration matches hardness.
- RO: replace pre‑filters per hours/pressure drop; check post‑RO TDS; record in log.
- Descale schedule: if you see chalky edges on racks or heaters, have a pro descale and review your hardness setting.
11) Case study (modelled): inner‑city wine bar, Brisbane QLD
Modelled on utility guidance and manufacturer limits; swap in your measured figures for exact outcomes.
| Context | Problem | Interventions | Outcomes (modelled) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120‑seat wine bar using an underbench glasswasher; local hardness variable by scheme (SEQ). Staff hand‑polishing flutes. | White spotting, film on stems; heater scale alarms; labour lost to polishing. |
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12) FAQ
- Do I always need RO for glasses?
- No. If your water is soft (e.g., ~10–60 mg/L as CaCO3) and you tune detergent/rinse aid, you can get excellent results without RO. RO helps where you want spot‑free finish with minimal polishing or where alkalinity/TDS films persist.
- When is a softener essential?
- When feed hardness exceeds your machine’s limit (commonly around 8 °dH ≈ 142 mg/L). Softeners prevent scale and protect heaters, but they don’t reduce TDS.
- What about chloramine—do I have to remove it?
- Not for safety—utilities dose disinfectants within ADWG limits. If you install RO, add carbon pre‑filters to protect the membrane and manage taste/odour. Sydney Water materials note chlorine/chloramine use in parts of its network.
- Is there an Australian rule about rinse temperatures?
- FSANZ does not prescribe a single rinse temperature; it requires effective sanitising. Follow your machine’s manual (many specify hot rinse temperatures) and keep cleaning/sanitising evidence under 3.2.2A where applicable.
- What if my chloride level is high?
- Many manuals specify <20 ppm chloride to protect stainless and results. If your source water is higher, options include blending, different resins or RO—confirm with your supplier.
13) Next steps
We’ll help you read your local water report, set a softener/RO plan, tune chemicals, and file a one‑page “warewashing compliance & commissioning” sheet for inspections.
14) References (stable links)
- FSANZ (standards & guidance)
- Drinking water & hardness snapshots
- Sydney Water — hardness & analysis · Daily report & ADWG note
- South East Water (VIC) — typical hardness 12–45 mg/L · Melbourne Water — testing overview
- Urban Utilities (QLD) — water hardness · Drinking water quality
- Water Corporation (WA) — hard water explainer · Drinking water quality
- SA Water — hardness parameter (>200 mg/L considered hard)
- Icon Water (ACT) — ~43 mg/L & conversions
- TasWater — your drinking water · Annual report (2023–24)
- Disinfectant limits & ADWG context
- Beer‑clean standards
- Manufacturer & treatment references
We favour .gov.au utility/manufacturer primary sources for longevity. If a deep manufacturer document is updated, navigate from the brand’s product or documentation landing page to the latest edition.
