Vivreau Water Lab: What’s in Your Water Series – Chlorides

What are Chlorides?

• Chlorides are minerals often found in salt compounds, and can be found in drinking water.
• Although they sound similar, chlorides are very different than chlorine and chloramine, which are chemicals used for water disinection.

Where do Chlorides in my drinking water come from?

• Some natural sources of chlorides come from rock weathering, soil erosion, and ocean spray and water entering into freshwater sources.
• Human activities such as road deicing salts in winter, industrial waste, and agricultural runoff also contribute to chloride levels.

Do chloride levels in my drinking water change over the year, or stay the same?

• At different times of the year, chloride levels can be higher, and can vary seasonally.
• Chloride levels can spike in water systems during the winter, when more road salt is used on the roads for deicing, or during the rainy season with agricultural runoff.

As a business owner, why should I be concerned about chlorides in my water?

• By understanding how high chloride levels can harm your business, you can take action steps to protect your business and also elevate your offerings with better taste.
• Vivreau’s Professional filters offer protection against chlorides and other water impurities such as chloramine and carbonate hardness (scale).

How exactly can water quality issues and chlorides harm to my business?

• Water quality is especially important in the food service industry, such as restaurants and cafes where customers are sensitive to flavors.
• High chloride levels can impart a salty or metallic taste to water, negatively affecting the flavor profile of brewed beverages such as coffee, and can also affect the baking process, leading to inconsistent results.
• Chlorides in can corrode and damage the stainless steel in expensive equipment such as steam ovens, boilers and coffee machines, and result in costly maintenance and breakdowns.

How can I improve my water quality to remove chlorides and other contaminants from my water supply?

• Vivreau has professional filters specially designed to remove certain contaminants such as chlorides, carbonate hardness, and chloramine.
• Our Water Experts can guide you in choosing the best filter for your application, and we also have an online Filter Selector tool to help determine the best filter for your needs.

Can I test water for chlorides myself?

• Yes! You can order a water test kit from Vivreau Distributors to test your water supply to see if there are any contaminants requiring filtration. The Vivreau water testing kit can assess levels of carbonate hardness, chlorides, chlorine, pH alkalinity and iron.
• Water testing consists of placing drops of specialized solution into small vials of your tap water, with the solution changing color with each drop to help with assessment (Testing Video Instructions).
• An electrical conductivity tool is also provided, which can be dipped into your tap water to test for conductivity.