Hard water is water that contains certain dissolved minerals, mainly calcium and magnesium. These minerals can interfere with the sudsing action of soaps and detergents and cause scaling in water pipes and water-using appliances. Eighty-five percent of American homes have hard water, that is, water with more than three grains per gallon of these minerals.

Calcium and magnesium mineral-laden water can leave a scale that can eventually clog hot water pipes and decrease the life of water-using appliances. These same minerals often make housework more difficult and cleaning agents less productive. Fabrics laundered in hard water often deteriorate faster, look less clean, and wear out quicker. Soaps and shampoos often do not lather as well in hard water; and more of each product must be used to work efficiently.

You can overcome hard water woes by having a water softener installed at the point where the main water line enters the house.

The softening process exchanges calcium and magnesium ions for soft ions of sodium, producing water that is soft and thus more efficient for use throughout the home. The amount of sodium produced by the water softening process does not present any adverse health effects for the average healthy consumer. Individuals who are on medically supervised sodium restricted diets can either have the softener installed to bypass the cold water to the kitchen sink or can have sodium removed from water used for cooking and drinking through the use of special equipment.

Following are some questions and answers that explain the water softening process and that should help clear up misconceptions regarding the significance to your health of sodium in water.

Q. How does a water softener work?

A. An ion exchange water softener, the kind used in most homes, utilizes a resin bed for exchanging hardness mineral ions for soft ions of sodium.

Q. Does a water softener add sodium to water?

A. Yes. How much depends on the hardness of water being softened. For each grain per gallon of hardness 7.5 milligrams (mg) of sodium per quart of water is added. The table below gives some examples:

Initial Water Hardness		Sodium added by softening
1.0 grain per gallon		7.5 milligrams/quart
5.0 grains per gallon		37.5 milligrams/quart
10.0 grains per gallon		75.0 milligrams/quart
20.0 grains per gallon		150.0 milligrams/quart
40.0 grains per gallon		300.0 milligrams/quart

Just for comparison, one slice of white bread contains about 114 mg of sodium and one 8-ounce glass of milk has about 120 mg of sodium.

Q. Can I avoid sodium in my water if I don't use a water softener?

A. No. All water has sodium in it naturally. The amount varies, from a few milligrams per quart to several hundred milligrams per quart.

Q. Where does most of the sodium in our daily diet come from?

A. Over 90% of sodium in the daily diet comes from sources other than drinking water. Nearly half the average daily dietary sodium intake comes from salt added to food during commercial processing, about one fourth comes from salt and sodium-containing additives or flavoring agents added to food in cooking or at the table, and about one fourth of the dietary sodium occurs naturally in food. Only a small percentage of our dietary sodium comes from over-the-counter medications, prescription drugs and drinking water.

Q. Should I be concerned about the sodium in drinking water?

A. For the average healthy individual, current levels of sodium consumption from all sources do not present any adverse health effects. For this reason, sodium in water, which supplies less than 10% of the daily sodium intake, should be of no concern to the average consumer.

Q. Should a person with high blood pressure who is on a sodium-restricted diet disconnect his water softener or avoid getting it in the first place?

A. Some people with high blood pressure who are on a medically-supervised restricted sodium diet may wish to minimize sodium intake from drinking water if it supplies 20 milligrams per quart or more of sodium. This can be done by installing a hard water faucet to bypass the water softener or, if the water is naturally high in sodium, by installing a drinking water system, such as reverse osmosis, to remove virtually all sodium from the drinking water.

Q. How can individuals who want to identify the sodium content of their water measure it?

A. Your local health department or water company should be able to provide you with the information. If you have a well, you can have the health department or an independent laboratory test a sample.

Q. The everyone can safely enjoy the advantages of softened water?

A. Yes. The methods described above will provide low-sodium or sodium-free water for the hypertensive patient who has been advised to minimize sodium intake from drinking water. For the healthy individual, the small amount of sodium added to the water by a softener poses no problem.

Q. How can I tell whether I have high blood pressure and need to restrict my sodium intake?

A. Have your blood pressure checked regularly, preferably several times per year. This can be done by your doctor, by a company or school nurse, at clinics, at first aid stations, at blood pressure machines in various public places or with your own blood pressure kit at home. Even if you have high blood pressure, you may not be required to avoid sodium in your drinking water. Be sure to consult with your doctor about the appropriate treatment for your condition.

*The information on this website is not intended to be medical advice. Each individual should consult with his own physician about the health issues discussed above. For additional information on water conditioning please contact Gilbert's Water Systems at systems@gilbertswater.com