An operator’s guide to longer pump life and better cuts
Why water quality matters
Your pump lives or dies by the water you feed it. Minerals, dirt, chlorine, or silica in the water will wear out seals, valves, and orifices faster than anything else.
Poor water = short pump life, more downtime, higher costs.
Good water = longer life, cleaner cuts, lower costs.
The gold standard: Aqualon Best
If you treat water to Aqualon’s Best limits, you’ll automatically meet or exceed OMAX, Techni, and Jet Edge requirements.
Aqualon Best targets:
– TDS: 25–75 ppm (don’t go below 5 ppm)
– Hardness: Calcium ≤0.5 ppm, Magnesium ≤0.1 ppm
– Silica: ≤1 ppm
– Iron/Manganese: Practically zero
– Chlorine/Chloride: Almost zero
– pH: 6.5–8.5 (neutral)
– Turbidity/TSS: Clear water, no visible particles
– Temperature: Under 25 °C
These numbers are much stricter than drinking water standards — but they’re what your pump needs.
How the brands compare
– OMAX: Allows higher TDS (25–250 ppm), more hardness, and more silica (up to 10 ppm).
– Techni: Wants softened water, TDS under 100 ppm, silica under 15 ppm, and final filtration to 1 µm.
– Jet Edge: Says <100 ppm TDS is good, 100–200 ppm acceptable, >200 ppm bad; silica under 15 ppm.
Summary: Aqualon is by far the strictest. If you meet Aqualon Best, you’re safe with all of them.
Drinking water vs machine water
Australia’s drinking water is safe for people — but not safe for pumps.
Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG):
– TDS: <500 ppm
– Hardness: 60–200 ppm is fine
– Chloride: up to 250 ppm
– Iron: up to 0.3 ppm
– Chlorine: 1–4 ppm in tap water
– Turbidity: <5 NTU
– pH: 6.5–8.5
Compare to Aqualon Best:
– TDS: 25–75 ppm
– Hardness: ~0 ppm
– Chloride: near zero
– Iron: 0.01 ppm
– Chlorine: 0.05 ppm
– Turbidity: 1 NTU
Takeaway: What’s safe to drink will still destroy a pump. That’s why extra treatment is essential.
Water Quality for Waterjet Machines: What You Actually Need to Know
Water quality directly affects pump life, orifice performance, and cut reliability. If you’re chewing through parts faster than expected, your water might be the problem.
Here’s what to watch for — and what to do about it.
Common Water Issues (and Fixes)
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High TDS (>200 ppm): Install a reverse osmosis (RO) unit. If TDS is still too high, add a deionising (DI) polish stage.
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Water too pure (0 ppm): Blend some raw water back in to reach 25–75 ppm. Running water that’s too clean can be just as damaging.
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Hard water (scale build-up): Use a softener or an antiscalant dosing system upstream of RO.
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High silica (>5 ppm): RO handles most silica, but DI polishing is needed to get it below 1 ppm.
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Chlorine or chloramine present: Use carbon filtration — catalytic carbon if chloramines are involved.
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Iron or manganese: Pre-oxidise (air or chemical) and filter before RO. Left untreated, these foul membranes quickly.
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Sediment or dirt: Use staged filters: 20 µm → 5 µm → 1 µm absolute-rated.
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Hot water (>25 °C): Use a chiller or heat exchanger. High temperatures shorten seal life.
Suggested Treatment Setups
Your treatment system should match your water source. Here are three real-world setups:
1. Basic Setup — For treated town water with stable TDS
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Sediment filter → Final 1 µm filter
2. Enhanced Setup — For variable or slightly hard water
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Sediment → Softener → Catalytic Carbon → RO → DI Polish → Blend → Final filter
3. Premium Setup — For maximum pump and orifice life
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Sediment → Softener + Antiscalant → Catalytic Carbon
→ Two-pass RO → DI Polish → Blend → UV → Chiller → Final filter
Daily & weekly checks
– Test TDS and hardness with a handheld meter
– Check chlorine if on town water
– Log results — helps with troubleshooting and warranties
– Watch for symptoms:
• Short seal life → hardness/chlorine issue
• Pitted orifices → silica too high
• Sticky valves → iron or dirt
What to Ask for in a Water Test
When sending a sample to a lab, request the following key metrics relevant to waterjet use:
| Parameter | Why it Matters | Target Range |
|---|---|---|
| TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) | Overall purity; affects orifice wear | 25–75 ppm |
| Hardness (as CaCO₃) | Causes scale; damages pumps | <3 grains/gal |
| Silica | Abrasive; clogs orifices | <1 ppm |
| Iron & Manganese | Foul filters and RO membranes | <0.1 ppm |
| Chlorine / Chloramine | Deteriorates seals and elastomers | 0 ppm |
| Temperature | High temp accelerates component wear | <25 °C |
| pH | Extreme values can corrode components | 6.5–8.5 |
Tip: Ask for results in ppm (mg/L) — it’s the most useful unit for comparing to industry standards.
The operator’s takeaway
– Follow Aqualon Best. It covers OMAX, Techni, and Jet Edge too.
– Don’t chase zero TDS. Aim for 25–75 ppm.
– Keep water cool, clean, soft, and low in silica.
– What’s safe to drink is not safe for your pump.