Soft water feels slippery because it allows the natural oils in your skin to come out....FALSE.
  • The reason that softened water leaves you with a slippery feeling is due entirely to the exchange of the 'sticky' calcium and magnesium ions for the slippery sodium ion. When the sodium ion is exchanged for cacium and magnesium, water no longer forms a sticky 'curd' on your skin. The curd which forms from the action of calcium and magnesium mixing with soap could be considered a film on your skin. This film, often seen as a cloudy appearance on glass shower walls, does not form when bathing in softened water. The slippery feeling of softened water has absolutely nothing to do with natural oils in your skin.

Soft water is bad for septic tanks...UNPROVEN
  • It is unclear as to whether the chlorides discharged from water softeners are actually 'bad' for septic systems. This issue is under intensive review by organizations such as the Water Quality Association. To date the experts are divided on the subject and there appears to be as many testimonials on both sides of the issue. Our experience has not indicated any negative effects on septic systems associated with softened water.

Soft water tastes like salt...FALSE
  • The human body, or more appropriately our taste buds, is incapable of 'tasting' sodium. In fact, what we taste when we experience the concept of 'salty' is actually the chloride associated with common table salt, which is sodium chloride. Water softeners, at least those that are manufactured today, are highly efficient as a general rule and the ion exchange process involves only the trading of sodium for the minerals of calcium and magnesium. The chloride portion of the sodium chloride used in water softeners is actually sent directly to the drain, attached to the calcium and magnesium ions for which the sodium has been exchanged.

Calcium and magnesium in water are a dietary supplement...ARGUABLE
  • Health experts have argued this issue for decades, and there are an equal number on either side of the argument. Those experts who suggest that calcium and magnesium in water cannot be considered a dietary supplement point to the fact that these minerals in water are not 'chelated', which means they aren't bio-available and cannot be absorbed by the human body. The experts on the other side of the argument suggest that minerals are lacking, in general, in the western diet and any mineral contribution to our dietary intake is beneficial. Regardless of your position, one fact is absolutely clear: in order to consume the RDA of calcium or magnesium from your water it would be necessary to drink many, many gallons of water in a day based on an extremely hard water level of 10 grains per gallon. Consuming this much water in a day is virtually impossible and dangerous from an over-hydration standpoint!

Hard water is a contaminant...INACCURATE
  • To call hard water a contaminant is simply inaccurate. Calcium and magnesium are the predominant minerals found in hard water. These minerals are naturally occuring and arise to varying degrees in water dependent on the geography and topical conditions through which the water travels upon falling to the ground. Calcium and magnesium are simply an impurity in water and it is inaccurate to call them a contaminant.

Soft water will be spot free...NOT NECESSARILY
  • Soft water will not be spot free, necessarily. But, soft water will in general produce far fewer spots upon drying. The reason for this is that softened water, which is devoid of the sticky calcium and magnesium ions will more readily 'sluff' or rinse off of dishes, appliances, shower walls and other fixtures than hard water. Hard water typically dries with a lime scale that isn't present in softened water. With soft water any spots that remain are easily wiped clean with a simple moist cloth whereas with hard water it is often necessary to use a descaling chemical and/or abrasive cleaner.

Squeaky-clean is really clean...FALSE
  • This myth has been around as long as the large soap companies have been in existence. The myth is based upon the concept that you aren't clean unless you're 'squeaky-clean.' In fact, the squeaky clean experience comes from the curd that forms on your skin due to the combination of the sticky hardness ions and the action of the soap.

Hard water is a health risk...FALSE
  • Advocates of this myth point to the risk of kidney stones and gall stones caused by hardwater. Well, if in fact the calcium and magnesium minerals in water aren't chelated, as referenced above, then these minerals would simply pass through our system. Conversely, if calcium and magnesium in water can be absorbed by the human body which is an arguable fact, then the absorption and utilization of these minerals would be a natural process as with minerals that we derive from other components of our dietary intake. There simply is no documented, scientific evidence to suggest that hard water is a health risk.

Chlorine is a dangerous chemical...TRUE
  • There are many disagreements about chlorine among health experts. However, nearly all of them suggest that chlorine is a dangerous chemical if consumed in high quantities. The problem with the concept of 'high quantities' is that the number is a moving target; more specifically, what was previously considered to be a safe level of chlorine consumption is now considered to be too high a level. We've looked at extensive research on the subject of chlorine as a water disinfection chemical and it is our opinion that any consumption of, or bathing in, chlorine is dangerous. There is ample evidence to suggest that chlorine, and the disinfection by-products as a result of chlorination, are carcinogenic; some studies have shown as much as a 15%+ increase in the incidence of bladder cancer since the introduction of chlorine into municipal water sources. We believe in the complete removal of chlorine is prudent and advised before consuming or bathing in the water. (Note: Removing chlorine at the household level does not pose a risk of bacterial contamination of water as household plumbing is a closed system.)

Flouride is absolutely safe, and required, as an added chemical in city water...QUESTIONABLE
  • Flouride was originally added to water to provide for improvements in dental health. Unfortunately, as with so many previously used chemicals (eg. DDT) the safety of flouride is seriously in question. Consider this quote from the January 2008 Scientific American, "Researchers are intensifying their scrutiny of fluoride, which is added to most public water systems in the U.S. Some recent studies suggest that overconsumption of fluoride can raise the risks of disorders affecting teeth, bones, the brain and the thyroid gland."

Water can be softened without the use of salt (or potassium)...FALSE
  • Ion exchange, better known as water softening, has been the only scientifically proven method for softening water. Magnets, catalytic systems, electronic systems and other physical-property 'changers' have no documented scientific evidence as to their efficacy in softening water. Changing the physical nature of water is possible for a short duration, however this change does not remove the minerals that cause water hardness. And descaling systems, while beneficial in creating less sticky ions, temporarily, are not a replacement for water softeners. In general there is no widely accepted alternative solution to the removal of water hardness other than through the science of ion exchange. Despite the availability of many non-salt-based softening systems, we remain unimpressed with the actual science behind these systems. See what Penn State scientists say about magnetic treatment of water.
There are so many myths, un-truths and misconceptions about water that it is impossible to list them all here. However, if you would like us to provide feedback on a 'supposed' fact you've heard about water in general, or more specifically about your water, please drop us an email and we'll respond quickly. In the meantime, for those of you that would like to read an incredibly pointed discussion about water, water contaminants and water treatment alternatives (both real and not-so-real) follow this link.
Myths & Misconceptions
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