Water Softeners and Sodium

Ask the Diva: Water Softeners and Sodium

Q. We don’t know whether to install a water softener or not.  Our water is so hard that it’s affecting our appliances but I’ve heard that the sodium added to water softeners isn’t good for you.

Answer. Hard water contains minerals (such as calcium and magnesium) that can build up on pipes and clog appliances. Some water softeners reduce these minerals by “exchanging” calcium and magnesium ions with sodium ions. The amount of sodium added to the water is fairly small—that’s why it doesn’t taste salty.

Did you know that regular tap water also contains sodium? Typical tap water contains about 9mg of sodium per cup. Typical softened water contains around 12.5mg of sodium per cup. Even if you drink two liters a day, it only adds up to about 100mg of sodium a day, or about 4% of the daily allowance. (See also my episode on sodium.)

Nonetheless, if you’re concerned about getting too much sodium from your softened water, a multi-media filtration system may be able to “soften” your water (that is, remove the minerals) without adding any sodium.