The vast majority of people in the United States live in homes that have hard water. Hard water is so named because of elevated levels of calcium and magnesium in the water. The minerals occur in the water by contact with calcium and magnesium in rocks and soil as the water passes through different levels in the soil.
To counteract hard water, water softener systems have been developed. These are actually relatively simple devices that use the exchange of those “hard” molecules of calcium and magnesium with the “soft” ions of sodium. This process requires constant rejuvenation of the brine solution, a process known as regeneration.
Regenerating Issues
Most of the new types of water softener models use an automatic regeneration system. This allows the system to flush out the system with fresh water and remove the existing brine solution based on days, time or volume of water through the system.
The result of this flushing out of the system is that relatively large amounts of the brine are released into the public sewage systems and through treatment plants. This can lead to problems with the sewage system and high chloride levels in waste water.
New efforts at the municipal level or the state level restrict the use of water softeners that are discharging into sewer systems. This can create problems for homeowners or commercial property owners in maintaining their systems.
Cost and Concerns
While a water softener is not the most expensive purchase a homeowner will need to make, it is also not a single purchase. As long as the system is in use, there will be a demand for salt, and most of the systems will need to be changed out every 10 years, often more frequently in areas with very hard water.
Additionally, for those on restricted sodium diets, the slight increase in sodium levels in the water can be problematic. To avoid this issue some people select systems using potassium chloride rather than salt, but these are considerably more expensive. Alternatively, the drinking water can be treated through a separate filtering system, literally doubling the water treatment in the home.
The Alternative
There is new technology that can replace an old traditional style of water softener with a simple system that will last up to 25 years, requires no salt, needs no maintenance and simply mounts on your wall.
This not only provides soft water on demand, but it also limits the additional sodium in the water and the ongoing cost of a traditional softener system. Using electrical waves, these systems are truly revolutionary and are changing the face of water softening in a very positive and environmentally friendly way.
