In general, water hardness can have an adverse effect on release performance. Cations complex with fatty acid salts creating ‘soap scum.’ Soap scum then plugs filters and nozzles, reducing the efficacy of the release agent, and necessitating higher dosages. Onsite water treatment is recommended for each mill to maximize performance. Reverse osmosis (RO) systems are the preferred method for water treatment. Properly working RO systems yield less than 10 mS/cm, essentially 0 conductivity.
If RO filtration is not possible, PSG recommends hardness of less than 60 PPM based on Calcium Carbonate levels. The Water Quality Association categorizes water hardness as follows: