SCA water standards

The Specialty Coffee Association's published guidelines for ideal brewing water — typically targeting 75–150 ppm TDS, 50–80 mg/L calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) hardness, and a pH of 6.5–7.5.

Why it matters — Great coffee depends on appropriate water. The SCA standards are the global reference for what coffee tastes best in. Cafés in hard-water areas (most of Sydney, all of Adelaide, parts of Perth) need filtration to reach the SCA range.

Good to know

• The full SCA water standard also addresses chlorine, odour, total alkalinity, and sodium — but most home users focus on hardness and TDS first.
• Reaching SCA spec at home usually means an RO + remineralisation cartridge or an ion-exchange filter sized for your tap water.