Water Softener Myths

You can’t drink water from a water softener.

Although some people believe that water from a water softener contains too much sodium for consumption, most do not realize how little sodium is in soft water. The average amount of sodium in a quart of water from a properly working water softener is 75-100mg as opposed to 120mg in a slice of white bread.

If this trace amount of sodium is a concern, a WaterMax® water softener is capable of using potassium chloride to regenerate the water softener. The addition of a Reverse Osmosis drinking water system to your water softener can be installed to give you sodium free drinking water.

Water from a water softener doesn’t rinse the soap off (the “Slippery Feeling”)

“Showering in soft water makes my skin feel ‘slippery’.” Showering in soft water may give you the sensation that soap and shampoo haven’t been rinsed away. In fact, by removing the dissolved rock from your water, a water softener provides you with water to thoroughly clean your skin and hair, allowing your natural softening and moisturizing agents do their job. With hard water, skin pores clog with soap residue, leaving skin dry and hair dull.

Water softeners waste salt and water.

With the use of patented technology such as directional flow screens (which allow for the proper use of fine mesh resin), the WaterMax® water softeners are much more efficient than conventional softeners.

Water softeners are too expensive to operate.

Actually, a water softener is the only household appliance that can save you money by using it. Using soft water can reduce water-heating bills up to 29%. Soft water also requires 50%-75% less detergent to do laundry and dishes.

The discharge from a water softener’s regeneration will damage my septic system or drain field.

In studies conducted by scientists at the University of Wisconsin, it was confirmed that salt-brine discharge from water softeners caused no problems in the operation of typical anaerobic or newer style aerobic home treatment plant.

It was also determined that water softener regeneration waste did not interfere with drain field soil percolation. Instead, they found this waste to actually improve soil percolation under some circumstances (particularly in fine-textured soil). Septic tank effluents containing water softener effluents include significant amounts of calcium and magnesium, which counteract the effect of sodium and help maintain soil permeability.

The studies concluded that it is better to discharge water softener waste to septic systems than to separate dry wells or ditches. For more information, visit www.wqa.org

No-salt softeners work better than our water softeners.

Magnetic or electronic devices cannot soften water. While many of the devices do exist, they are referred to as “descalers” in the water treatment industry, not water softeners. They do not remove the hardness from the water, like a water softener. While “descalers” may help prevent the buildup of scale in pipes and appliances, all the benefits of softened water are forfeited.

Water softeners are bad for the environment.

Studies conducted prove that a water softener used in conjunction with a under sink Reverse Osmosis system actually reduce greenhouse gases. Click here to read more.