The short answer is maybe, but it’s hard to make an evaluation of the taste of every individual person. It is true that a minute quantity of salt is added to the water during the ion exchange process. But, for most people, this is negligible, and they are unlikely to notice a difference. That said, people that are sensitive to salt or those on low-salt diets may notice a slightly salty taste in softened water. To better understand this phenomenon we will take a closer look at ion exchange water softening.
What is the Ion Exchange Process?
Before we take a closer look at sodium (salt) consumption, it’s useful to understand how the ion-exchange process works. There are other water softening methods, but ion exchange is the most reliable and it’s commonly used in homes and businesses.
An ion exchange water softener has two main components, they are a brine tank and a resin media tank. As the names suggest, the brine tank contains the salt water, and the resin media tank holds charged resin beads. The surface of the resin beads is where the ion exchange takes place and they are coated with salt.
The incoming water passes through the resin media tank, and the dissolved mineral ions are attracted to the surface of the resin beads. As they stick to the surface, they are exchanged for salt (sodium or potassium) ions. So, a minute volume of salt is added to the water.
All ion exchange water softeners have a time or demand-initiated regeneration cycle. This flushes the media tank with brine to fulfill two needs that facilitate further water softening. First, the surface of the resin beads becomes clogged over time, and this lowers the softening efficiency. Second, the salt ions on the surface of the resin beads need to be replenished to ensure that the ion exchange can take place.
During the regeneration cycle, resin media beads are cleaned, the salt ions are replaced, and the mineral ions are directed into the drains.
How Much Sodium Does a Person Need?
The recommended limit for sodium consumption is less than 2,300 mg per day. Many people in the west consume 3,400 mg per day, which is unhealthy. Most of this consumed salt is table salt and the salt found in processed food, including fast food, frozen dinners, cold cuts, and more. To put this into perspective, let’s take a look at some common foods and the sodium (salt) they contain:
- An egg: 59 mg
- A glass of milk: 120 mg
- A glass of orange juice: 25 mg
- A can of soda: 40-45 mg
- A slice of bread: 80-120 mg
- A single teaspoon of table salt: 2,300 mg
As you can see, the prevalence of sodium in foods and beverages can be a real problem for any person that wants a healthy lifestyle. But, how does sodium in softened water stack up in comparison?
How Much Sodium is in Softened Water?
The amount of sodium found in both hard and soft water doesn’t represent a significant percentage of the recommended daily salt intake. The regeneration cycle flushes the calcium and magnesium ions that make water hard into the drain. Those ions were replaced with salt ions, and this does add a minute volume of salt to the water. The exact amount added will vary depending on the hardness of the water. Harder water requires more softening, and thus more salt ions are ultimately added to the water. For example a person with 11 gpg (grains per gallon) water hardness would require 20.6 mg extra sodium added to an 8 oz glass. So, if you know your water hardness number in gpg you can calculate the extra sodium that would be added to the softened water.
Can I Soften Water and Reduce Sodium?
Yes. People that are sensitive to salt or on a low-salt diet for health reasons will be interested in lowering their sodium consumption. Water softening salt is available in sodium and potassium varieties. A potassium-based water softening salt is more benign than a sodium-based alternative. They tend to cost more, but if you really want to reduce the sodium and soften your water this is a viable alternative. Treating drinking water with a carbon filter pitcher, faucet filter, or other basic filtration device will not remove sodium. But, there is a water filtration system that complements a water softener perfectly. It is reverse osmosis.
What is a Reverse Osmosis (RO) Filtration System?
At the heart of a RO filtration system, there is a semi-permeable membrane filter with tiny pores. These prevent most contaminants from passing through, and the water is cleaned to an exceptional standard. Some of the contaminants that are removed include salt, chlorine, minerals, bacteria, heavy metals, and more.
This is a purely mechanical filtration system, no chemicals are added and the water must be placed under pressure to force it through the tiny pores. The RO filtration process takes time, and the cleaned water is stored in a tank until you’re ready to use it. There are two types of RO filter systems: whole house and point-of-use. A whole house system directs RO filtered water to every tap and plumbing fixture in the home. This can be expensive, and many people opt for a single point-of-use RO faucet installed at the kitchen sink. This delivers exceptionally clean water for drinking, cooking, food prep, and more.
There are actually three different filters in a RO system: a sediment, a granular activated carbon (GAC) and the membrane filter. The typical configuration is a sediment filter followed by a GAC filter to remove chlorine, then the sediment filter, and finally a second GAC filter to give the water some character. So, if you want to remove chlorine from softened water and a lot of other contaminants, this is a great option.
If you want to learn more about installing a water softener and/or RO water filter system, contact your local water treatment specialist.