Q: I prefer bottled water. Is it the best alternative to my tap water?
A: Bottled water is a good alternative if you would like better tasting water for drinking and cooking, but it can be expensive and a hassle to carry from the store. Because it is inconvenient to do so, you may not use it for everything you should, including using it to make drinks and recipes.
It's generally less expensive in the long run to use a home drinking water system. Drinking water systems are convenient and provide you with high quality water in your own home when you want it, at prices per gallon that are considerably lower than bottled water.
There are many options available. Check to see that the system you choose is certified to protect you from a wide variety of contaminants and that the manufacturer's claims have been verified by the Water Quality Association or NSF International.
Q: Don't water filters remove important minerals from my water?
A: Studies have found that minerals in your drinking water essentially make no contribution to your health and may even be present in forms your body can't absorb. You are much better off maintaining a balanced diet that provides you with an adequate supply of important vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately, the myth that drinking water with minerals is healthy is perpetuated by companies that promote "mineral water."
In fact, the Water Quality Association, the trade association of the water treatment industry, prohibits health claims in any of its members' literature and advertising.
Hard Water/Soft Water
Q: It feels like I can't get the soap off when I wash with soft water. Why does soft water feel "slimy" when I wash my hands in it?
A: When you wash in soft water, you feel your skin the way it's supposed to feel, clean and silky smooth. According to the U.C. Berkeley Wellness Letter, when you wash in hard water, the soap you're using reacts with the hardness minerals in the water "to form an insoluble residue that's difficult to wash away." The "squeaky" feel/sound many people associate with being clean is, in fact, your skin sticking because of this residue.
Soft water rinses your skin and hair more cleanly than hard water and doesn't leave a soap or shampoo residue behind. People that use soft water consistently enjoy the "truly clean" feeling they get when washing with it.
Q: Won't soft water corrode my plumbing?
A: According to Thomas J. Sorg from the Water Supply & Water Resources Division of the U.S.E.P.A., softened water does not increase lead and copper leaching in household plumbing systems. As long as your water has a neutral pH, softening it will not make it corrosive. Water that does not fall into the neutral range should be neutralized even if it is not being softened. If it isn't neutralized, it will typically cause corrosion, whether it's hard or soft.
Q: Is soft water bad for my septic system?
A: According to a report issued by the Water Quality Research Council, water softeners do not have any detrimental effect on septic systems and may actually enhance their performance in certain situations by encouraging the growth of additional bacteria.
In fact, the flow from the softener is typically less than the wastewater discharged from an automatic washing machine. The studies credited the high levels of calcium and magnesium present (in the flow that results when the softener cleans itself) with improving soil percolation in many instances.
These studies were conducted by scientists at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and NSF International.
Q: Doesn't my city supply me with soft water?
A: Your city water supplier is not required to provide you with soft water. Many municipalities reduce the amount of hardness to some degree. But according to the U.S. Geological Survey, 85 percent of cities are still supplied with hard water. Your city is required to provide you with water t