No, water treated by a water softener is not suitable for drinking purposes because a water softener only replaces the salts of calcium and magnesium and convert the hard water into soft water. Water treated by the water softener is not completely free from water pollutants, but it is soft, so suitable for domestic uses like bathing and washing.
You must be surprised by our view. Aren't you?
We recommend you read this article till the end to learn more about water softeners and their working so that you can have a clear idea about "Is It Okay To Drink Water From A Water Softener". So let's start discussing the working of a water softener.
Working Of A Water Softener
A water softener is based on ion exchange technology, which replaces the salts of calcium and magnesium with the help of resin beads. The resin beads used in the water softener is loaded with sodium ions.
The resin beads are negative is a charge, and the calcium and magnesium ions contain a positive charge when the hard water flows through the resin beads. As we know, the negative charge attracts each other, so when the hard water passes through the resin bead, the beads grab the slats of the calcium and magnesium ions and remove them from the water. When the resin beads are seized with the salts of calcium and magnesium ions, the sodium ions are released into the water. Removal of calcium and magnesium salts reduces the hardness of the water.
Why We Need Soft Water?
Hard water causes various kinds of health and domestic issues. Bathing under hard water causes heavy hair losses and skin diseases like eczema. Water is also not good for washing and cleaning as it restricts the foaming action of the shop and detergent. As a result, it leaves a stain on the clothes and tiles of the bathroom.
The salts of calcium and magnesium are quite high in the hard water, which get deposited on the spare parts of the electrical equipment, thus reducing the device's efficiency. These are the few reasons why we need to treat hard water.
The soft water is free from calcium and magnesium salts; thus, it works well while washing and cleaning. It also does not cause skin diseases, so various professionals recommend avoiding hard water for domestic uses.
How Do I Know If I Have Hard Water?
The best way to determine the hard water is to bring your water to the certified water testing laboratory. A certified water testing laboratory will provide you with the complete details and not just about the minerals. In the detailed report, they will list many substances like nitrates, chlorine, calcium, magnesium. Sodium and various dangerous bacteria. However, you can also check the hardness of the water at home, and for this, you should have the in-home water testing kit.
Conclusion
A water softener only replaces the calcium and magnesium salts with sodium, thus reducing the hardness of the water. Hence, it is completely unsafe for human consumption because water contains various kinds of disease-causing agents like various organic and inorganic substances and various microbes.
Water treated by a device called a water purifier is safe for drinking because a water purifier eliminates all kinds of contamination present in the water, but a water softener only replaces the salts of calcium and magnesium from the water. So, avoid using water softener treated water for drinking purposes and ignore waterborne diseases.
