“Water is vital for our future”: Water sommeliers like Dirk Scheu know everything about this precious liquid

So what should water taste like to suit your own personal preferences?
I don’t have a favourite water. What I like best is a cool, slightly sparkling natural mineral water from my region, which I pour into a nice large-bowled, thin-walled crystal glass that’s been washed by hand. You see, even if it’s “only” water you can still celebrate your drink.

Water is also the basic ingredient of many other beverages. What water qualities are ideal for which product, for instance beer, wine, soft drinks, juice or tea?
This is a subject that fills volumes of books, and their expert authors are still unable to agree. As far as beer is concerned, we know that fully demineralised water does not work. If it were used for brewing, it would try very hard to absorb salts and/or minerals from the malt, thus impairing the finished beer’s taste.

On the other hand, completely demineralised water would be ideally suited for rediluting juice from concentrate because the previously evaporated water is likewise fully demineralised. Frequently, however, this option is not used because complete demineralisation is, of course, more expensive than partial demineralisation.

You have long been working for Krones and specialised in water treatment. What perceived importance do beverage producers attribute to this process field?
Mineral water bottlers and breweries mostly rank water treatment among their top priorities. Mineral water bottlers are permitted to use only those treatment processes that are specified in the German Mineral and Table Water Ordinance.

The mineral water itself must also be continually monitored because the technical tolerances for the water’s constituents have likewise been specified by law. And globally operating beverage companies, who want their products to taste the same all over the world, usually scrutinise their bottlers’ water supplies. Often, they even issue instructions to their licensees, specifying what process steps to use for what mains water / raw water.

Futurologists have for quite some time now been issuing statements warning of a global water shortage, of a “world water crisis” and a “distribution war” for water. What is your stance on this issue, and where do you see possible solutions?
This is an extremely complex question. No doubt about it: All life on Earth depends on water to survive. Water circulates, which means its quantity neither increases nor decreases. But it changes its state of aggregation, becoming ice, forming clouds, and so on. In my view, there is enough water for humankind. And here’s the big “BUT”: Far too many people do not have access to clean drinking water. Here in Europe, we are lucky enough to have plenty of potable water.

What responsibility does the international beverage industry bear in this context?
Major responsibility, in my view, because it uses a raw material that belongs to all humankind. And in so doing, the companies concerned also incur an obligation to handle it with care and with a view to long-term viability. What I want to say is that the international drinks industry must design and implement their beverage-production processes so as to make sure that a) the precious resource, water, is optimally utilised and b) no wastewater is produced that later generations will only be able to recover at great cost and effort. Meticulous attention must also be paid to issues like groundwater table drawdown.

On the flip side, what opportunities does this open up for the international beverage industry?
Since all life depends on water, this sector will always be necessary. But even today we aren’t able to supply the people on our planet with enough drinking water. Since water quality continues to deteriorate across the globe, water treatment, that is, the removal of toxic or carcinogenic substances, is absolutely essential. Therefore, humankind will continue to depend on packaged drinking water.

In future, “Water Design” will be available at Krones as a consultancy service, which covers the creation and filling of perfectly customised water for our clients. The following remains true for the international beverage industry, of course: Water is vital for our future.