Can You Drink Softened Water?

Many of our customers ask, Can You Drink Softened Water? When it comes to purchasing a water softener, there is a common misconception that you can't drink the soft water produced. In this article we describe the ins and outs of soft water drinking. 

Drinking Softened Water – Is it Possible?

Yes, you can drink softened water, it is perfectly safe and there are even some benefits.

What is Soft Water? 

Soft water is water with a lower level of calcium and magnesium. A water softener removes excess calcium and magnesium from hard water to make it soft. It does this using a brine solution and sodium.

What is Hard Water? Can You Drink Hard Water?

Hard water is water that has an excess of calcium and magnesium. These excess minerals are responsible for limescale - which causes many negative effects and problems in the home. But nutritionally speaking, when it comes to drinking hard water - there is absolutely no problem. It is also safe and healthy to drink hard water.

Softened Water vs. Hard Water: Which is Better?

Benefits of Drinking Softened Water:

1. Improved Taste: in many cases, softened water has a more pleasant taste compared to hard water. This is because, the excess calcium and magnesium found in hard water, can impart a bitter or metallic taste. In soft water these minerals are removed, leaving the water to taste better.
2. Better Hydration: Soft water can feel refreshing, it may potentially encouraging more water consumption.
3. Appliance Longevity: soft water is great for protecting household appliances from damage. It can help them to work more efficiently and can reduce scale build-up, improving their lifespan. In terms of drinking – this adds benefits for you kettle use and cups of tea. Soft water means no scum or scale coming from your kettle and floating in cups of tea.

Other Benefits of Soft Water in General:

• Reduced Soap & detergent usage: softer water reduces scale build-up in pipes and appliances, extending their lifespan and improving efficiency.
• Skin and Hair Health: hard water has negative effects on hair and skin, whereas soft water actually prevents dryness and irritation, leaving skin and hair softer and smoother.
• Cleaning Efficiency: Because softened water lathers more easily with soap, it requires less soap usage and laundry detergent (around 50% less) - making cleaning more effective.

Drawbacks of Softened Water:

• Sodium Content: Contains added sodium, which can be a concern for people on low-sodium diets (see further info below).
• Cost: Installing and maintaining a water softener has running costs – however, the amount a softener saves on bills actually outweighs the smaller running costs.

Benefits of Hard Water:

• Mineral Intake: Some levels of calcium and magnesium are beneficial.

Drawbacks of Hard Water:

• Limescale Build-Up in the Home: Causes scaling in pipes and appliances, reducing efficiency and lifespan.
• Skin and Hair Issues: Hard water can actually cause eczema and other skin issues. The scale build up and reaction with soaps can lead to dry skin and brittle hair.
• Cleaning Issues: In addition to more effort cleaning limescale scum from your bathroom and kitchen, hard water is also harder to form lather with soap. This means it requires more soap, shampoo and detergent.

Why Does Soft Water Contain More Sodium?

Softer water contains more sodium because non-electric water softeners work using a block salt system and sodium-based resin.

Is Soft Water Safe to Drink?

It is a fact that treated water does have a higher sodium content. However, this fact can often be misinterpreted as being unsafe. In reality, the sodium levels are not in excess and this is a common myth.

Softened water is completely safe to drink and does not contain unhealthy levels of sodium. The average amount of sodium found in a 250ml glass of softened water contributes to 1% of your daily sodium intake (Recommended daily intake by the NHS 2015 is 2,400mg of sodium). In fact, there is more sodium in a slice of bread and in a glass of milk, than you’ll find in your water.

The decision to drink softened water should be based completely on whether or not you enjoy the taste of it. Many people prefer the taste of soft water to hard water as a water softener can remove bad tastes and smells caused by hard minerals.

Important Considerations – Who is Soft Water Not Suitable For?

There are some special cases where people should not drink soft water. This includes:

• Bottle Fed Infants: if you are feeding a baby with bottle fed formula, it is recommended to isolate your hard water feed and use hard water. Soft water is not safe in this instance.
• People on Low-Sodium Diets: softened water contains a small amount of sodium due to the ion exchange process. This amount actually depends on the hardness of the water being treated. For people on low-sodium diets, those with specific health conditions or dietary restrictions – you should consult your doctor or simply isolate your drinking water tap to be hard water.

Why is it Not Safe for Babies to Drink Soft Water?

Information provided by the WRAS and the NHS, recommends that the sodium limit should not be exceeded when preparing formula for babies. This is because their kidneys are not fully developed yet and so cannot process the increase in sodium. Their formula and food are made with the exact amount and correct sodium levels and any additional sodium can alter this balance, causing dehydration.

Additionally, it is also recommended that individuals who are on a prescribed low-sodium diet should not drink softened water due to the increased sodium levels.

How Can I Install a Water Softener but Keep My Drinking Water Hard?

If you are bottle feeding a small infant, are following a medically prescribed low sodium diet or prefer the taste of hard water - there is a simple solution. When installing a water softener, you can request a plumber or technician isolates your main drinking water feed. This means you can isolate one single tap which you drink from, leaving this supply of water hard, while the rest of the home has soft water.

How Does a Water Softener Work?

A water softener removes excess calcium and magnesium from the mains supply. It does this through the process of reverse osmosis and ion exchange. As the hard minerals flow through the resin inside the softener system, they are attracted to the resin and swapped out for harmless and soft sodium ions. This ion exchange process is why many people believe their soft water may contain too much sodium to drink. The level of salt present in the soft water can vary and depends on where you are located in the UK and how hard your water is initially. Areas with harder water, generally have more sodium present in the soft water produced - because it needs more salt to remove higher amounts of hard minerals.

Why is it Important to Test Water Hardness Before Installing a Water Softener?

In some cases, it is important to test the hardness of your water before installing a water softener. This is because if your water is extremely high on the hardness scale, - the sodium levels in your softened wate could exceed 200mg/l sodium.

Therefore, it is essential and by law, for plumbers or technicians installing your system, to provide you with a hard water supply. This means the softened water supply, used throughout your home, is separate to your drinking water.

If you don’t like the taste of your regular hard water and water from the hard supply, you can also remove any excess sodium with a separate drinking water system, which can offer premium filtered water on tap.

In Conclusion…

Softened water is generally better for household maintenance and personal care and it is safe for most people to drink. While softened water is generally safe to drink, it’s important to consider the added sodium content, especially for individuals who are bottle feeding infants or on a medically prescribed low sodium diet.

Not everybody wants to or will enjoy drinking softened water. For that reason, you can always opt for an untreated feed to your kitchen or utility sink, so you can still enjoy the taste of hard water. Or if you have bad tasting water to start with, you can also purchase a drinking water system with your softener and get filtered water on demand.

Here at North East & Yorkshire Water Softeners we are water treatment specialists who offer a range of services across the UK. If you are ever concerned about something, we urge you to get into contact with us as we are trained professionals and can provide you with information to help you. Click here to enquire online and we can call you back.

You can speak to us over the phone or email if you need more information or have any questions.

Need More Information?  

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