People living in areas of hard water, such as Hertfordshire in south east England, may already be familiar with the concept of water filtration. If you are not, here’s some of the reasons why drinking from the fountain of H2O knowledge might be a very good idea.
What is meant by hard water?
The term hard water may sound a little confusing, after all how can a fluid substance be hard, unless you are talking about ice? Well, hard water has nothing to do with ice, but refers to the high mineral content of the water, usually calcium and magnesium. It’s transferred to the water and it passes through subterranean rock deposits such as limestone or chalk.
Because these types of rock deposits are more common in southern and eastern areas of England, hard water is a particularly challenging issue for residents. It can leave limescale buildup (a chalky residue) on appliances such as kettles, washing machines, boilers and dishwashers, compromising the performance and durability of the item.
Furthermore, hard water can wreak havoc with the skin and hair, drying it out and exacerbating existing conditions such as eczema. It also makes it harder for soap to lather, meaning that you need to use more product and spend longer rinsing items clean.
What is meant by soft water?
Soft water occurs naturally in areas where the water passes through non-calcareous rocks, such as the north west of England. If you stay in these areas for a while, you will soon notice that your hair and skin feels softer to the touch, and it may help to ease skin complaints. It probably also tastes much nicer to drink and use to make tea or coffee.
You will also notice that you need to use much less shampoo or washing up liquid, because it lathers easily even from a few drops, and performs just as well even with half the amount you would normally use.
Can you soften hard water?
If you live in the southern or eastern half of the UK, by now you are no doubt asking “Do I really need to put up with horrible hard water?” You will be delighted to learn that the answer is no, and the solutions are more simple and affordable than you might think.
There are a range of solutions, including installing filtration systems that can be fitted to taps and shower heads, to adding a water softening device to your mains water supply source.
The water is artificially softened with techniques to filter out the mineral or neutralise them with sodium and potassium ions, adjusting the chemical composition of the water and making it silky soft. This will quickly work to eliminate all the hassles that hard water can bring.
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