20 September 2016

Do Water Softeners Add Sodium to Drinking Water?

Tap water contains very little sodium whether is it softened or not. Hard water contains high levels of calcium and magnesium. Some water softeners replace calcium and magnesium ions with sodium ions. The higher the concentration of calcium and magnesium, the more sodium is needed to soften the water. Despite the additional sodium needed for softening, it shouldn't be an issue for most healthy adults.

Levels of sodium in drinking water are very low in most water systems. In an Environmental Protection Agency survey, the majority of water systems tested had less than 50 milligrams (mg) of sodium per liter. Based on this data, a fourth of a liter (about an 8-ounce glass) of water would contain less than 12.5 mg of sodium, which falls within the Food and Drug Administration's definition of "very low sodium."

If you are on low-sodium diet and you're concerned about the amount of sodium in softened water, you may want to consider potassium chloride as an alternative to sodium chloride. Another option is to soften only the hot water in your house and use unsoftened cold water for drinking and cooking.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/water-softeners-sodium/faq-20058469