Last Updated On September 18th, 2019
You may like water softeners for many reasons. For one, they help you keep your clothes the way you want, and extends their shelf life. However, while you might love water softeners for its ability to deal with hard water, the question you might ask is – are water softeners safe to drink from?
According to the US Geological survey, more than 85% of the geography of US has hard water. This hard water can cause ample of problems in our lives. Therefore, it is preferred to soften the water.
A water softener is a device or a substance which removes and replaces certain minerals from the hard water to make it soft.
Today, we will solve the confusion whether the softened water is safe to drink or not.
Sodium Allowance In Our Diets
It is extremely important to maintain the level of sodium in our bodies. The daily allowance of sodium, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is 2300 milligrams but it can be lower for people with high blood pressure or pregnant ladies.
Ion Exchange Process
The tap water does not contain sodium. Ion exchange is the process which replaces the calcium and magnesium in tap water with sodium or even potassium which depends on the substance used. When the water containing hard minerals is passed through the soft water then the charged minerals convert to sodium thus softening the water.
Sodium Level In Soft Water
The amount of sodium added to the water depends on the hardness level of the water. Higher the level of magnesium and calcium, higher is the amount of sodium required to soften the water.
The majority of water systems tested by the Environmental Protection Agency have 50 mg of sodium per liter. Th result is that there is 12.5 mg of sodium for every 8 ounce glass. This falls within the Food and Drug Administration’s definition of “very low sodium.”
Soft Water Tasting “Salty”
A common misconception is that the soft water will taste salty. Although salt is used in the softening process, but sodium bicarbonate is used and not sodium chloride (table salt) and therefore, the water cannot taste salty.
Majority Sodium Intake
The majority of the sodium intake daily comes from processed food or table salt. If you are worried about the sodium intake daily, you can keep a watch on your diet. Stay away from processed food and keep the salt to minimum.
You can even consult a physician about means to keep a check on your sodium intake. In a very unlikely event will a physician discourage you from drinking soft water.
People on Low Sodium Diet
If you are a low sodium diet then it is recommended to see your physician before drinking soft water. On the reverse side, you can also use substances that use potassium to soften the water and not sodium.
One more method is reserve osmosis. This is the best way to remove large amounts of contaminants from the water. It removes minerals, chemicals and metal from the water and leaves you with chemical-free and sodium-free water.
So, there is nothing to worry about as long as you keep a check on your diet. But do remember to get occasional checks done by a water treatment professional to make sure it is operating effectively.
2 Responses
Hi, great article so thanks for sharing. I have to say though this does still make me think twice about drinking soft water.
Are there any water softening systems that don’t use sodium in their process?
Thanks Sara. You can check out our Top 10 Best Water Softener list. I hope you’ll find the right system to suit your needs.