What’s the difference? A water softener filters out dissolved minerals, especially calcium and magnesium, while a water filter removes particulate matter and some pathogens. Water contaminants tend to be specific to certain areas; for more information, check out the Drinking Water Inspectorate’s database of regional water quality reports.

Hard Water
If you find that your water combines with soap to form a scummy grey film instead of suds, or if your water tends to leave “rings” in the tub, you may have “hard water” full of minerals. Should you worry about this? Maybe. Research conducted by The National Institutes of Health suggests that hard water may increase the risk of kidney stones, so getting a water softener can’t hurt you if your water shows any of the properties listed above.

Water Filtration
Most carbon end-of-use filters - like filter pitchers or faucet attachments - will remove particles one micrometer or less in diameter, and may remove the larger organisms Giardia and Cryptosporidium. So although a carbon water filter will improve the taste of “funny” tap water, don’t rely on it remove pathogens.

Water-borne pathogens are of special concern to people with compromised immune systems - for example, people who have just undergone an organ transplant. If you’re worried about microbes in your water, boiling it is the best way to ensure safety. For convenience, consider boiling large quantities at once and keeping it cold in your refrigerator, or invest in a water distiller, which works by boiling water and collecting the vapor.

Tags: Drinking water, Hard water, Water filter, Water softening

This entry was posted on Monday, January 18th, 2010 at 12:07 pm and is filed under Appliances, Health, Scalewatcher, WATER. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.