Well water

[Italian_Mike]

Hello everyone, I’m about to take over an existing pizzeria, my issue here is that they have well water and it smells like rotten eggs… They are currently using bottled water (5 gallon jugs) and at $4.00 per 5 gallons it isn’t too bad…
But should I bother with a filtration system?
Besides the cost is there a draw back using spring water in dough or is it actually desirable?

Thanks

 

[Tom_Lehmann]

Actually, the well water will be just fine, but first you will need to do a couple of thing to it. The problem you are experiencing is called sulfer water (smells like rotten eggs). The flavor and aroma are cleaned up with a low cost activated charcoal filter. Next, you will need to find out what the pH (acidity) of the water is. Typically sulfer water will be high (alkaline) in pH, so you’re going to have to acidify it it slightly, but rather than acidifying the water, it is easier to acifify your doughs by adding a small amount of MCP (mono calcium phosphate). With his done, you’re back in business, dough water wise, but you may still have problems with fountain drinks and hot drinks from a pH perspective. A call to your soda provider should answer this question. Lastly, alkaline water can be very hard on pipes and appliances, so be sure to have a reputable plumber check things out first.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor