Salt-Free, Anti Scale Water Conditioners in Southern California
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Hard Water Defined
Water hardness is typically measured by its total dissolved solids (TDS). A TDS measurement below 150 indicates soft or very soft water. A TDS rating between 150-250 indicates slightly hard water and a TDS rating above 250 indicates moderately hard to hard water with 420 or more signaling very hard water.
Brine Restricted Areas
In some cities in the state of California, the use of water softeners is subject to legal restrictions due to environmental concerns. Here are three ways the state has deemed water softeners as harmful:
What Can I Do About California’s Hard Water?
Southern California has some of the hardest water in the state. Normal or medium-hard water rates 60-120 mg/L. Water in Los rates 127 mg/L. That means that every liter of Los Angeles tap water contains 127 mg of calcium or magnesium – the minerals that make water hard. These contaminants come from ground water that travels through mineral-rich soil.
Hard water can corrode your pipes and fixtures, discolor your clothing and make it difficult to bathe. The best way to combat hard water is by installing a water softener. Unfortunately, California has banned the use of traditional salt-based water softeners. Why did they do this given the state’s hard water? Let’s unpack the story and explore alternative options for safe, clean water in your home.
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The Trouble with Hard Water
If you’ve seen spots on your dishes, had dry skin or crusty laundry, you’ve probably dealt with hard water. The excess mineral composition in hard water creates a number of issues for homeowners. Not only can it leave your hair or skin feeling dry and unclean, it can wreak havoc on your plumbing system or water heater. Hard water leads to corrosion. You may have noticed this in the form of stains in your sink or chalky residue on your faucet. Over time, this corrosion can clog your pipes and make them brittle. If you’re worried about damage from hard water, it’s important to have a plumber check your home’s pipes.
Does your area have Hard Water?
Water hardness is typically measured by its total dissolved solids (TDS). A TDS measurement below 150 indicates soft or very soft water. A TDS rating between 150-250 indicates slightly hard water and a TDS rating above 250 indicates moderately hard to hard water with 420 or more signaling very hard water.
California water hardness can vary widely and averages between 100-300 TDS.
Water hardness varies depending on the area and water source.
For example, Northeast Los Angeles reported a TDS score of 240 in 2022 while Kagel Canyon reported a TDS of 300 and Malibu reported a TDS of 334.
All of these scores put the municipal water for the region in the slightly to moderately hard range. This means that there are enough minerals in the water to affect how it tastes and cleans. It also suggests that residents in areas with hard water will want some sort of water filtration or softening system.
Reasons why a City will ban Water Softeners
In some cities and the state of California, the use of water softeners is subject to legal restrictions due to environmental concerns. Here are three ways the state has deemed water softeners as harmful.
California’s Water Crisis
California has faced numerous water-related challenges, including droughts, dwindling water supplies, and overdrawn groundwater resources. As a result, the state has implemented stringent regulations and conservation measures to preserve its precious water resources. Because water softeners use a significant amount of water during their regeneration cycle (20-65 gallons/month) , they are considered a drain on the water supply.
Salt Discharge and Water Contamination
Water softeners operate by removing minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, from the water through a process called ion exchange. However, the discharge from water softeners contains high concentrations of salt, which can contaminate water bodies, harm aquatic ecosystems, and even seep into groundwater supplies. The cumulative effect of salt discharge from numerous softeners across the state can exacerbate California’s water quality issues.
Impact on Wastewater Treatment Facilities
Water softeners also pose challenges for wastewater treatment facilities. The high salt content in the discharged water places an additional burden on these facilities, as they must employ costly processes to remove the excess salts. Furthermore, the concentrated brine produced during a water softener’s regeneration process can overwhelm wastewater treatment plants and affect their efficiency.
Brine Discharge Control Areas in California
In response to the above environmental concerns, California has implemented strict regulations regarding the use of water softeners. The state’s Water Quality Control Board has designated certain regions as “brine discharge control areas,” where the use of water softeners is prohibited or subject to specific requirements. Violating these regulations can result in fines and penalties.
Water Softeners vs. Water Conditioners
In a residential setting, the two most common methods of dealing with hard water are using a water softener or a water conditioner. Both of these systems function in different ways, and understanding what these differences are can help you determine which system is right for you.
The most common alternative to a water softening system is a water conditioner. While water softeners remove the mineral ions from hard water and replace them with sodium ions through a process known as ion exchange, water conditioners alter the structure of the mineral ions. This allows the mineral ions to stay in the drinking water but eliminates the ability of those minerals to cause scaling.
Water Softeners
Water softeners have been around for a while, and most people have heard of them and used softened water at some point. Water softeners function through a process known as ion exchange, during which hard mineral ions in water are removed and replaced with sodium ions.
When water percolates through the ground it picks up positively charged mineral ions. The process of ion exchange involves attracting these mineral ions away from the water molecule and replacing them with sodium.
To do this, water softeners will typically have at least two tanks. The first tank contains a large amount of negatively charged resin beads. Attached to these resin beads are positively charged sodium ions. When hard water enters the water softener it is placed into this resin tank. As the hard water passes over the resin beads, the mineral ions are attracted to the resin beads. As these minerals attach to the resin beads in the resin tank, they displace the sodium ion which moves to join the water molecule. This allows the water molecule to maintain a balanced charge and completes the process of ion exchange.
The second tank in a water softener is referred to as the brine tank. This tank contains a salty brine solution. This solution is used to periodically refresh the resin in the brine tank. The resin is saturated with the brine solution, which displaces the minerals attached to the resin and replaces them with fresh sodium ions. Once this process is complete, the wastewater is flushed from the system and down the drain.
Some people are concerned about the level of sodium in softened water. Here are a couple of key points about sodium in softened water:
- Softened water contains sodium (Na), not table salt (NaCl).
- The sodium in softened water does not affect the taste.
- The exact amount of sodium in softened water depends on how hard your water is. The process of ion exchange requires sodium to be added as hard water minerals are removed, meaning the harder your water the more sodium your softened water will contain.
For most healthy adults the amount of sodium in softened water poses little risk. However, if you are concerned about sodium in softened water it may be worth considering water softener alternatives like a water conditioner. Many people choose to install a reverse osmosis system to use in conjunction with their water softener. Reverse osmosis systems are capable of removing sodium added to softened water, as well as reducing a wide range of other contaminants.
The best salt for water softener may depend on your specific system and needs. The use of sodium chloride is more common, but some people use potassium chloride to reduce the amount of sodium in softened water. Be sure to speak with a water quality specialist familiar with your water softening system to determine the best salt for your system. Additionally, learn more with our guide to How Does Salt Soften Water.
Water Conditioners
Water conditioners are the best alternative to a water softener if you are concerned about sodium in your water. The key difference between water softeners and water conditioners is water conditioners don’t remove the minerals from hard water.
Remember, the main impact of hard is scaling. Water softeners address this problem by removing hard water minerals and replacing them with sodium ions. In contrast, water conditioners cause minerals in hard water to crystallize.
Water conditioners do this through the use of template-assisted crystallization (TAC) media. As hard water passes over TAC media, a small portion of the hard minerals crystallize. These are sometimes referred to as “seed crystals”. Once these seed crystals have formed, the remaining mineral ions contained in the hard water will preferentially attach to the seed crystal rather than any surfaces the water comes into contact with.
Although conditioned water still contains hard minerals, those minerals no longer cause scaling. This means conditioned water won’t cause mineral buildup in your pipes, in your appliances, or on surfaces throughout your home.
Water conditioners also have a couple of other features that make them advantageous for certain situations. These features are:
- Many water conditioners don’t require electricity, unlike water softeners. This can make it easier to install in homes with limited access to electricity where the water line enters their home.
- Water conditioners don’t require the use of brine, which makes them an ideal solution for areas with brine restrictions in place. This also makes it unnecessary to install a drain line from the water conditioner.
EcoProTechT: Ecowater Anti-Scale Systems
ProTechT has no backwash, which makes it ideal for Brine Restricted areas.
ProTech TCC does have backwash and takes out chlorine. This is not good for brine-restricted areas.
Anti-Scale systems protect your home wellness. Pipes and appliances will last longer as they will not have build-up, which causes corrosion and pinhole leaks. This is an investment to maintain the value of your home!
Reverse Osmosis is sold with these anti-scale systems to protect your health! Reverse osmosis improves the taste of water by filtering out pollutants, lead, chlorine, fluoride, PFOS, and other impurities and odors. The water is free of parasites and bacteria and has a lower sodium content. Reverse osmosis systems also use minimal electricity to operate. Great for pools and for cooking to make food taste better.
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