Hard water contains minerals such as calcium and manganese that cause scaling and soap scum. It is important to soften hard water in your home to protect your plumbing and appliances from mineral buildup. Soft water will also reduce the amount of soap used in your home. During the traditional softening process, sodium is released into your home’s water supply, but how much sodium are you really drinking? Take a look at the numbers:

How Much Sodium is Safe to Consume?
According to the American Heart Association, the maximum recommended amount of sodium for adults is no more than 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day, and an ideal limit for most adults is no more than 1,500 mg per day. More than 75 percent of the sodium Americans eat comes from some processed, prepackaged and restaurant foods. On average, Americans eat more than 3,400 milligrams of sodium each day because of this. Check out the example of the possible daily sodium intake of an adult. Now let's take a look at the amount of sodium is actually released into your home's water supply when you use a water softener.

How Much Sodium is in Your Water?
When you soften your water using a water treatment system, this process typically requires sodium to be released into your water. However, the amount of sodium released will vary in each household. The amount of sodium in your water is directly related to your total water hardness. According to the WQA (Water Quality Association), for every grain of hardness there will be 30mg of sodium in a gallon after it has been softened.

To put your intake into perspective, adults drink an average of 1 quart of water per day. According to the most recent water quality report supplied by the City of Osage Beach, the water hardness levels range from around 297-337 mg/L. That is roughly 10-15 grains of hardness per gallon. The sodium levels released in a gallon of water for this level of harness is 298-448 mg per gallon, and 74-112 mg per quart. Now think about the amount of sodium you take in daily that comes from the foods you eat. The sodium released in your drinking water is SIGNIFICANTLY less!

The Benefits are Worth It!
If drinking softened water is not desired, you can always have your kitchen cold water tap taken off of the water softener, or have the sodium removed using a device such as a reverse osmosis or distiller. The bottom line is that using a water softener for your household water supply offers benefits for your appliances and plumbing that far outweigh the very minimal sodium being released.

Now that you're able to see how much sodium is actually added to your diet with a water softener, you can feel more confident in your choice to purchase a Lindyspring System. If you have any other questions pertaining to water treatment at the Lake of the Ozarks or are interested in scheduling a time for us to come out to your home to determine which system would best fit your needs, contact Lindyspring Systems today!

For All Your Household Water Conditioning and Treatment Needs Count on LINDYSPRING!