Water Softeners (Ion Exchange)
About Water Softeners
POE - Define poe upfront
Basic water, or hard water, is not a serious health concern but is a nuisance in regard to scale buildup on fixtures and surfaces and reduction of the efficiency of soaps and detergents. Use of neutralizers and water softeners are common
interventions to adjust water that ranges far from the ideal neutral pH of pure water.
Used in combination with filtration and disinfection technology, ultraviolet, reverse osmosis, and/or water softeners can help consumers reduce the vast majority of unwanted chemical and biological agents in water.
Hard water/scale - due to minerals from rocks and soil
Some can be designed to remove positive and/or negative charged contaminants, such as: iron and manganese, heavy metals, some radioactive compounds, nitrates, arsenic, chromium, selenium, and sulfate. However, water softeners do not protect against biological contaminants.
POE - Define poe upfront
Basic water, or hard water, is not a serious health concern but is a nuisance in regard to scale buildup on fixtures and surfaces and reduction of the efficiency of soaps and detergents. Use of neutralizers and water softeners are common
interventions to adjust water that ranges far from the ideal neutral pH of pure water.
Used in combination with filtration and disinfection technology, ultraviolet, reverse osmosis, and/or water softeners can help consumers reduce the vast majority of unwanted chemical and biological agents in water.
Hard water/scale - due to minerals from rocks and soil
Some can be designed to remove positive and/or negative charged contaminants, such as: iron and manganese, heavy metals, some radioactive compounds, nitrates, arsenic, chromium, selenium, and sulfate. However, water softeners do not protect against biological contaminants.
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Benefits
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Limitations
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Other Resources
- WQRF Softened Water Benefits Studies - Executive Summary l Two-page Summary of the studies
- CDC - A Guide to Drinking Water Treatment Technologies for Household Use [Link]
- "Water Softeners use ion exchange technology for chemical or ion removal to reduce the amount of hardness (calcium, magnesium) in the water;
- https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B939&title=Water%20Quality%20and%20Common%20Treatments%20for%20Private%20Drinking%20Water%20Systems
- Even though hard water is not unhealthy to drink, it can cause scale buildup in pipes and on fixtures, interfere with the effectiveness of soap and shorten the life of appliances like dish washers and hot water heaters.
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