Water Treatment

Hard water is water that contains invisible dissolved rock, principally calcium and magnesium minerals. When rainwater falls it soaks through the earth and runs off into rivers or lakes and collects in reservoirs or wells. If in these processes, it picks up a substantial amount of calcium carbonate and other substances, it becomes hard.

Most commonly people notice the effect of hard water because of a build up of scale in kettles and on shower heads. Hard water also causes deposits to form in other domestic appliances that use water such as washing machines, dishwashers and water heaters, and over time, this can cause them, to decrease in efficiency. Plumbing systems can also become clogged up with the deposited minerals reducing the speed at which the water flows through the pipes.

Those households with hard water will also find it more difficult to make soap lather whether this is for personal use or domestic cleaning. Consequently more detergent is used with the resulting negative impact on the environment.

Water Softening

The problems associated with hard water can be resolved by installing a water softener which removes the hardness minerals from the water. Water softeners operate on the ion exchange process. Essentially the water passes through millions of negatively charged tiny resin beads which attract the hardness minerals – calcium and magnesium. When the resin becomes saturated with calcium and magnesium, it is passed through a salt solution (brine). The excessive brine is then separated from the softened water and discarded separately in the wastewater. The softened water enters the plumbing system. Only salt specially manufactured for water softeners should be used in them.