Water Softener & Filter Systems
The quality of water you and your family drink, cook with and bathe in is important. Hard water problems and health risks associated with contaminated water lead many to look for systems that will improve the overall quality of their water. There are several considerations before choosing what type of water treatment system is right for you. Does this Spark an idea?
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Hard Water
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Hard water presents more of a housekeeping problem than a health concern. Hard water is caused by minerals such as calcium and magnesium. The hardness of water is usually expressed as grains of hardness per gallon (gpg). A gpg of 1 to 3.5 is considered mildly hard while a gpg above 10.5 would be considered very hard. Cleaning products do not work well in hard water, making household cleanliness a problem. Hard water causes soap scum and a milky film on glass showers, walls and tubs that is difficult to remove. Because of mineral buildup, hard water can also affect the efficiency and life span of your appliances and plumbing.
Softener Systems
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Water softening systems utilize ion exchange to remove excess minerals in the water at its source. The mechanism of these softeners is known as cation exchange. Cations are positively charged ions. The exchange refers to a replacement of ions that cause hardness with ions that do not cause hardness, typically sodium, which effectively softens the water supply. After a period of use, the exchange medium has to be recharged. This involves flushing out the bound calcium and magnesium and "recharging" (or replacing) them with sodium ions.
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Health Considerations
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Almost all water softeners involve the exchange of calcium and magnesium ions with sodium ions. When someone is dealing with health conditions that require a low-sodium diet, this type of treated water can present a problem. According to North Dakota State University's Treatment for Household Water Supplies website, 8 mg/1 (ppm) of sodium is added to the water for every grain of hardness removed. As an alternative, a kitchen tap for untreated water can be used for drinking and cooking. Also, potassium chloride may be used in place of sodium chloride. Using potassium chloride is considered less damaging to septic systems and the environment.
Filtration Systems
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The two most common water filtration systems are activated charcoal and reverse osmosis. Physical filtration installed in faucets, icemakers, point-of-use units and other products include an activated charcoal filter that absorbs impurities such as chlorine, organic contaminants and gases. Reverse osmosis (RO) systems force water through a semi-permeable membrane that separates clean water from the impurities. RO has a low recovery rate--typically only 5 to 15 percent--but it removes bacteria and other contaminants that charcoal filters do not. In areas where water is highly contaminated, combination systems that utilize charcoal and RO may be required.
Consumer Protection
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According to North Carolina University's Water Quality and Waste Management web site, "The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and consumer protection divisions of state attorney general offices report that water purifier fraud is growing rapidly all across the United States." Scare tactics and unreliable "water testing" are tactics used by these sales people. If you believe your water may be contaminated and in need of a treatment system, pay to have it tested by a reputable source before shopping around.
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References
- Photo Credit Shower image by Semfamily from Fotolia.com
