Steam equipment does not cope with Saudi water the way it copes with a textbook supply. The water that reaches a kitchen in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam or Madinah is a blend of desalinated seawater and groundwater, and the blend differs by city. When that water is boiled to steam, the minerals stay behind and bake onto the hottest surfaces. This guide shows how Everpure Kleensteam systems stop that, how to pick the right configuration, and what a Saudi site needs to get right.
If you would rather start from your own kitchen, request a quote and we will begin with your equipment and your water.
TL;DR
- Around half of Saudi drinking water is desalinated and around 40% is groundwater, so hardness depends on where you are.
- Steam equipment concentrates minerals, so a supply that looks acceptable in a glass can still scale a steamer fast.
- Kleensteam combines particulate and chlorine reduction with Hydroblend scale inhibition, in single or dual-cartridge form.
- Choose the configuration from your flow rate and equipment, not from the cartridge price.
- Where feed water is very hard, add pre-treatment ahead of Kleensteam. We specify it from your site's water.
What the water looks like across Saudi Arabia
The national picture is roughly 50% desalination, 40% groundwater and 10% surface water, mostly in the southwest. Riyadh is supplied mainly with desalinated water pumped about 467 km from the Gulf, blended with groundwater.
Groundwater is where the hardness comes from. Published studies of groundwater in northern regions such as Hail have recorded total hardness of about 72 to 310 ppm and TDS of about 258 to 775 ppm. A KAUST overview of drinking water quality in the Kingdom covers the regional differences in more detail. One survey in Madinah found most samples above tolerable limits for hardness and TDS, so do not assume your supply is mild because a neighbouring city is.
The source is also moving. The Saudi Water Authority is shifting from thermal desalination to seawater reverse osmosis, and RO plants typically deliver water with more dissolved solids than thermal plants. A kitchen on stable water last year can see a changed supply this year. Protection that is sized to the water you have today should be reviewed when the supply changes.
Why steam makes it worse
In a steamer, combi oven or steam-jacketed kettle, water is turned to steam again and again. Each litre that boils off leaves its calcium and magnesium behind, so scale builds far faster than in equipment that only heats water. The layer insulates the element, which then works harder for the same result.
In a busy Saudi kitchen, such as a hotel, a catering unit or a hospital or school kitchen running steam all day, that shows up as:
- longer cook times and higher energy use
- blocked steam generators and probes, then fault codes and call-outs
- component failure in the middle of service
How Kleensteam works
Kleensteam is made by Pentair under the Everpure brand for steamers, combi ovens and steam-jacketed kettles. Water passes first through a precoat filtration cartridge that reduces dirt, particles and chlorine taste and odour. It then passes through a scale-inhibitor stage using Hydroblend media, which keeps hardness minerals in suspension instead of letting them bond to hot surfaces.
"The Everpure Kleensteam II water filtration system represents a total systems approach to treating water supplied to foodservice steamers and combi-ovens." Pentair Kleensteam II Installation and Operation Guide
In the dual-cartridge Kleensteam II, the 7CB5 cartridge handles sediment and chlorine, and the SS-10 cartridge supplies the Hydroblend compound. A dip-tube assembly supports periodic deliming of the equipment downstream. Pentair specifies a maximum operating pressure of 125 psi (about 8.6 bar), with copper or stainless steel tubing between filter and steamer kept under 20 feet (about 6 metres).
Choosing single or dual cartridge
Match the system to flow, not to habit.
- List the equipment on the line: how many steamers, combi ovens or kettles, and their peak water demand.
- Add up the flow. Service flow must not exceed the rated flow, which Pentair gives as 5.0 gallons per minute (18.9 litres per minute) on a twin-cartridge system and 2.5 gallons per minute (9.5 litres per minute) on a single-cartridge system. Going over it reduces both filtration and scale inhibition.
- Check pressure. The installation must stay under the 125 psi limit.
- Check the feed water. If hardness or TDS is high, plan pre-treatment first.
Maintenance on a Saudi site
Change the 7CB5 cartridge on a regular preventative cycle, or sooner when its rated capacity is reached or outlet pressure drops. Replace the SS-10 scale cartridge when the white material falls below 1/4 inch (about 6 mm). Harder water, higher daily volume and heavier equipment all shorten the interval. We set changeout schedules from real site data, not a generic figure, and our Comprehensive Maintenance programme tracks them so cartridges are changed before protection lapses.
Filtration versus descaling
Cartridges almost always cost less than repeated manual descaling. Descaling takes equipment out of service, uses aggressive chemicals, costs labour and still leaves residue that shortens appliance life. The number that matters is the combined cost of labour, energy, downtime and early replacement that filtration avoids, not the cartridge price alone.
When Kleensteam alone is not enough
Where feed water is very hard or high in TDS, a scale cartridge can be overwhelmed. We then design upstream pre-treatment, such as softening or reverse osmosis, to bring the water into the range where Kleensteam performs. If a kitchen also needs controlled-mineral water for coffee, the Everpure EZ-RO covers that. Sovereign Water is an authorised Everpure distributor that supplies, installs and maintains these systems across Saudi Arabia.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Saudi water scale steamers so quickly?
Most supplies include groundwater, and groundwater carries hardness. Boiling concentrates it. The exact level depends on your city and on how much groundwater is in your blend.
Which equipment is Kleensteam for?
Steamers, combi ovens and steam-jacketed kettles, in single and dual-cartridge versions.
How often are cartridges replaced?
The 7CB5 on a preventative programme, or sooner on capacity or pressure drop. The SS-10 when the white material drops below 1/4 inch. Water hardness and volume change the timing.
Does it remove existing scale?
It prevents new scale and supports periodic deliming through the dip-tube assembly. Heavily scaled equipment may need an initial descale first.
Can Sovereign Water install and maintain it?
Yes. We specify, install and maintain Kleensteam systems in Saudi Arabia.
For manufacturer details, see Pentair's Everpure Kleensteam page and the Kleensteam II installation and operation guide.
Protect your steam equipment
Tell us what you run and where. We will specify the system and pre-treatment for your water. Request a quote.
Sources
- Water supply and sanitation in Saudi Arabia (overview)
- Drinking Water Quality in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KAUST HSE
- Pentair, Everpure Kleensteam
- Everpure Kleensteam II installation and operation guide