Water is generally classified into two groups: surface water and groundwater. Surface water is just what the name implies—it is water found in a river, lake, or other surface impoundment. This water is usually not very high in mineral content, and many times is called “soft water,” even though it usually is not. Surface water is exposed to many different contaminants, such as animal waste, pesticides, insecticides, industrial waste, algae, and many other organic materials. Even surface water found in a pristine mountain stream may contain Giardia or coliform bacteria from the feces of wild animals, and should be boiled or disinfected by some means prior to drinking.
Groundwater is that which is trapped beneath the ground. Rain that soaks into the earth, rivers that disappear underground, and melting snow are but a few of the sources that recharge the supply of groundwater. Because of the many sources of recharge, groundwater may contain any or all of the contaminants found in surface water, as well as the dissolved minerals it picks up during its long stay underground. Waters that contain dissolved minerals, such as calcium and magnesium above certain levels, are considered “hard water.” Because water is considered a solvent—i.e., over time it can break down the ionic bonds that hold most substances together—it tends to dissolve and gather up small amounts of whatever it comes into contact with. For instance, in areas of the world where rocks such as limestone, gypsum, fluorspar, magnetite, pyrite, and magnesite are common, well water is usually very high in calcium content, and therefore considered “hard.”
Due to the different characteristics of these two types of water, it is important that you know the source of your water—surface or ground. Of the Earth’s water, only about 2.5–3% is fresh. Nearly 70% of that is locked in ice, about 30% is groundwater, and less than 1% is in lakes and rivers. The average human body is about 70% water. You can only survive five or fewer days without it.
Hard Water
Hard water is the most common problem found in the average home. Hard water is water that contains dissolved hardness minerals (calcium, manganese, and magnesium are the most common) above 1 GPG.
How do you Measure Hardness?
Parts per million (PPM) or grains per gallon (GPG) are the most common measurements. One part per million is just what it says: out of one million units, one unit. Grains, or grains per gallon, is a weight measurement taken from the Egyptians: one dry grain of wheat, or about 1/7000 of a pound. It takes 17.1 PPM to equal 1 GPG.
Why Should Hard Water Concern Me?
For many uses, it would not matter. For instance, to put out fires, water your lawn, wash the mud off the streets, or float your boat, water would have to be pretty hard to cause a problem. But for bathing, washing dishes and clothes, shaving, washing your car, and many other uses of water, hard water is not as efficient or convenient as soft water. For example:
You use only half as much soap when cleaning with soft water.
Hard water and soap combine to form “soap scum” that cannot be rinsed off, forming a bathtub ring on all surfaces and drying into unsightly spots on your dishes.
When hard water is heated, the hardness minerals are re-crystallized to form hardness scale. This scale can plug your pipes and hot water heater, causing premature failure and costly replacement.
Soap scum remains on your skin even after rinsing, clogging pores and coating every hair on your body. This residue can harbour bacteria, causing diaper rash, minor skin irritation, and itchy skin.
For many industrial uses, hardness minerals interfere with processes, causing inferior products.
Who Will Test My Water for Hardness?
If you are connected to a municipal supply, call the water superintendent or City Hall. They can either provide the answer or direct you to the proper individual. Remember the conversion factor: it takes 17.1 PPM to equal 1 GPG. For example, if your water has 171 PPM calcium in it, divide 171 by 17.1 to get the answer in grains. This example would be 10 GPG.
If you are on a private supply, you could:
Contact your county extension agent.
Collect a sample in an approved container and send it to the city or provincial health department for testing.
Find a testing lab (try the yellow pages).
Call a water conditioning company.
By the way, if you are on a private well, you—and you alone—are responsible for the safety of the water you and your family drink. You should test your supply for bacteria at least once per year, and other contaminants at least every three years—or more often under certain conditions.
My Water is Hard; Now What?
If your water tests over 3 GPG hard, you should mechanically soften it. Softening water that is less than 3 GPG, while it makes shaving and bathing more comfortable, is considered a luxury, as the cost is greater than the savings. Over 3 GPG, you will save enough to pay for the cost and maintenance of a water conditioner.
As of this writing, the most economical way to soften household water is with an ion exchange water softener. This unit uses sodium chloride (salt) to recharge man-made plastic-like beads that exchange hardness minerals for sodium. As the hard water passes through and around the beads, the hardness minerals (ions) attach themselves to the bead, dislodging the sodium ions. This process is called ion exchange. When the plastic bead, called resin, has no sodium ions left, it is exhausted, and can soften no more water. The resin is recharged by flushing with salt water. The sodium ions force the hardness ions off the resin beads, then the excess sodium is rinsed away, and the resin is ready to start the process all over again. This cycle can be repeated many, many times before the resin loses its ability to react.
Which Water Conditioning Company should I call?
As with any purchase, talk to your friends and neighbours—who do they use? Are they happy with them? Check with the Better Business Bureau for complaints. The BBB cannot prevent shady business, but they do keep a file of complaints.
Ask at least two companies to come to your home, look at your plumbing, and then give you a quote on their equipment. Have them explain all the features of the unit, as well as the warranty.
What Should I look for in a Water Conditioner?
Make sure the unit has enough resin to treat all the water you and your family will use. The average usage per person per day (including children) inside the house is 87 gallons.
Ask to be shown two or three ways to initiate recharging the unit.
The oldest way is by a time clock, i.e., your water usage is calculated and the frequency of recharging programmed into the timer. On the appointed day and hour, the unit recharges. If all went as calculated—fine. If you were away—too bad—you just wasted salt and water. If you had extra company—too bad—you ran out of soft water. You must pick a unit that will treat one day’s supply of water and still have about 40% of the resin in the recharged state. This will provide you with the most efficient use of salt and regeneration water.
A second way to initiate recharge is by electronic sensing. By electronically checking the resin, these units can determine when the resin needs to be recharged. This is helpful when your water hardness changes, when you have extra company, or when you are away. These sensor units can save you up to 42% of your salt and recharge water, while keeping you in soft water when you have extra guests.
A third way is by using a meter. These units measure how many gallons of water you actually use. The unit is set according to your water hardness and will recharge when the gallons used approach exhaustion of the resin bed. This saves a high percentage of salt and water.
Many variations of these methods exist on the market. Some use computers to calculate in advance when to recharge the unit; some have two resin beds (tanks), switching back and forth between them, keeping you in soft water at all times with maximum efficiency. These systems are most effective in high-hardness water (over 10–12 GPG) and larger families (over 4 people). Low-hardness water and smaller families do not require the extra expense of these options.
I Have a Water Conditioner, Now my Water Feels "Slimy"
When the hardness minerals are removed, soap no longer forms a curd or “bathtub ring” on your skin, plugging pores and clinging to every strand of hair. You are now truly clean. That slick, slimy feeling you notice is your natural body oils—without the soap scum. The old saying that you get “squeaky clean” is a myth; that feeling was caused by soap scum on your skin. By the way, soap scum provided an excellent place for bacteria to hide and grow, causing numerous minor skin ailments.