4. Heating water

In some regions, when tap water is heated in a metal container, it becomes cloudy because it contains suspended matter, and the walls in contact with the water are tarnished. Elsewhere, if the water is heated, nothing visible happens. However, after repeated heating, pitting is observed in the walls and, later, perforations.

• These phenomena of calcareous deposition (scaling) or aggressiveness (corrosion) are rarely observed with cold water. To avoid problems with seasonal changes in water temperature, water distributors ensure a calco-carbonic balance, whatever the scaling quality of the water before treatment, and this for summer temperatures of over 25°C.

• To protect equipment in contact with hot water, treatments must be carried out to either modify the mineral content or reduce the imbalance created by...