Hard water is not considered harmful to your health, but it can cause ugly stains from scale build up in sinks, tubs, and elsewhere if left unchecked.  People notice the stains, but they are generally unaware of the significant hidden costs of the scale build until it is too late. 

Scale is formed when minerals (usually calcium) are precipitated out of water.  The scaling process accelerates dramatically when the temperature of the water increases or when water travels across the electrically charged plates in a water ionizer.

The hidden costs of hard water scaling:

While hard water scale strains are annoying, the more significant problem is the cost associated with scale buildup.  Hot water tanks create scale at a rapid rate as the heat facilitates the precipitation of calcium out of the water.  The scale forms on the two heating elements in the tank.  As the scale builds up, more and more energy is required to heat up the water in the tank.  Nobody thinks about the additional cost of heating their hot water because it is out of sight and out of mind.  However, the energy wasted can amount to several hundred dollars per year.  Additional costs from scaling show up in the form of shortened lifespans of heat producing appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines, kettles, and water ionizers.  Additional costs show up in the form or replacing taps and sinks.  The greatest cost of all, can come in the form of having to replace water lines if excessive scaling is not kept in check.

What is hard water and how is it measured?

Hard water is water with a high mineral content.  The primary components of water hardness are the cations (Ca 2+) and Magnesium (Mg 2+), with calcium playing the major role.  Calcium usually enters the water as either calcium carbonate (CaCO_3,) in the form of limestone and chalk, or calcium sulfate (CaSO₄).  The predominant source of magnesium is dolomite (CaMg(CO₃)₂).  Less significant contributors to water hardness are other dissolved compounds such as the anions of bicarbonates ( HCO₃⁻) and sulfates (SO2−4). 

Water hardness is measured in parts per million (ppm) or grains per gallon (gpg).  In the USA, 1 gpg = 17.1 ppm.  In Canada, 1 gpg = 14.2 pmp.  I prefer parts per million as the measure is consistent in both countries.  There is no absolute definition of levels of water hardness.  However, it is generally accepted that the following categories of water hardness exist:

• Soft: Below 17 ppm [or 0-1 American gpg] 
• Medium: 17.1 – 60 ppm [or 1 - American 3 gpg] 
• Medium Hard: 61 – 120 ppm [or 3 - 7 American gpg] 
• Hard: 121 – 200 ppm [or 7 – 11 American gpg] 
• Very Hard: Over 200 ppm [or over 11 American gpg

It is recommended that anyone that has hard or very hard water take measures to reduce the level of hardness, particularly from the hot water lines.  My focus is on water ionizers, and they definitely require some form of assistance to remove calcium from hard water.  The plates of a water ionizer will quickly get covered with scale in hard water which will render the ionization process useless.

Reducing hard water for an entire house:

The traditional method of reducing water hardness was to use a salt based water softener.  The keep the discussion really short and simple, the system captures calcium and magnesium with beads, and then washes out the beads with salt each day.  The state of California has banned the sale of salt based water softeners.  I expect that we will see the ban extended to other jurisdictions over time, because the high sodium content of softened water is absorbed by your skin during showers or baths.  When people use water softeners, it is recommended that the soft water not be used for drinking water, as the level of sodium typically exceeds maximum acceptable levels and definitely exceeds recommending intake levels of sodium by a wide margin.  We are now seeing growth in salt free water softeners, which are much healthier for your skin.

You can also eliminate water hardness with a distillation system or a reverse osmosis machine.  However the process is very slow and wastes a great deal of water.  As such, a reverse osmosis or distillation system is typically reserved for purifying drinking water.  I don’t care for either system if any other alternative is possible because the systems strip all of the minerals required by your body out of the water.

Reducing hardness in your drinking water:

As I stated earlier, hard water won’t hurt you.  However, it wrecks havoc with you drinking water line and tap, as scale builds up.  Homes that use salt based water softeners should always have a bypass before the water softener so that you never drink water that has passed through the softener.  If you use a salt-free water softener, you don’t need a bypass because the water is safe to drink and it will not scale up your water line or taps.  If you are thinking about installing a water softener, make sure it is a salt-free system.  The salt-free systems typically pay for themselves in about two years, so they are an excellent investment. 

If you already use use a salt based water softener and you don’t have a a bypass system under your kitchen sink, you will need a RO system to eliminate the sodium from your drinking water supply.  If you are stuck with a RO system under your sink, you will need to replenish the minerals in your drinking water with mineral drops, or by installing an in-line remineralizing filter in order to provide your body with the minerals it requires.  

What to do about hard water if you want to purchase a water ionizer?

Scaling from hard water has disastrous results for water ionizers.  Therefore, you have to deal with hard water, or don’t bother purchasing a water ionizer at all.  Since water ionizers are so import to your health, find a solution that works the best for you.

If you don’t have a water softener and you need one, make sure you purchase a salt-free system.  The system will prevent scaling and it will allow your water ionizer to work efficiently.

If you already have a salt based water softener and you want to purchase a water ionizer, you have a number of options:

A)  Bypass the water softener and install an inline magnet just before the water ionizer – one time cost of about $95

B)  Bypass the water softener and install an inline phosphate filter before the water ionizer – cost $40 every six months for a phosphate filter

C)  Install a RO system under your sink and add an inline remineralization filter – cost about $400 + $40 per remineralization filter

D)  Replace your salt based water softener with a salt-free water softener – cost about $1,000

You can also combine A) and B)  or you can add A) and B) to D).  It all depends upon the level of hardness.  These options all add to your costs, but nothing is more important to your health.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author based upon his research and experiences working with hard water conditions across the country.

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