Are Salt-Based Water Softeners Safe for the Environment?
In this day and age, when we know caring for the environment is so important, we have a duty to try our best to avoid using products or systems that hurt the environment. Recently, there has been some concern over whether or not salt-based water softeners are safe for the environment. The answer to that lies in looking at things objectively.
How Water Softeners Help the Environment
Since water softeners work to remove minerals and elements that can harm your plumbing and appliances, they actually can help the environment. Yep, you read that right. If you think about it, since your appliances and pipes won’t be harmed by the particles in hard water, they’ll last longer and won’t need to be replaced as often.
That keeps old, broken, and rusted appliances like washing machines, dishwashers, water heaters and even pipes out of landfills. Even if some people recycle their old appliances, the amount of homeowners who don’t do so end up causing more trash to go into our environment. Treating hard water is a great way to protect your investment AND the environment.
The Down Side to Salt-Based Water Treatment Systems
The main issue people find with salt-based water softeners is that at high levels, salt can be considered a harmful. Especially in the Midwest where we are also using high amounts of salt (chloride) based products on our roads in the winter – which DOES run off into our lakes and streams. When extra salt from water softeners makes it way into rivers and other natural water supplies, it can sometimes be problematic.
But when you compare that downside to the idea of more and more appliances and pipes wasting away in landfills, the benefits of water softeners really outweigh the cons.
Are There Alternatives to Traditional Salt-Based Water Softeners?
Yes. If you would like to avoid using traditional salt-based water softeners, Kinetico is great option, because we aren’t traditional! We have the worlds most efficient way to soften your water. That’s because, Kinetico Water Softeners generate on demand – not on a timer. That means no water is flushing down the drain at night, and results in less salt being used.
We offer saltless water treatment systems for your home as well. Before going that route be sure you properly understand what the system can and cannot do for your water problems.
Or invest in the world’s most efficient water softener, from Kinetico. The Kinetico Premier Series S650 XP water softener will give you cleaner water, use less water softener salt, and reduce your carbon footprint, all while saving you money!
For more information about the S650 XP, contact the water experts at Aquarius Water Conditioning. We can outfit your home with the best water softener that meets both your needs and is environmentally-friendly. For the best water in Minnesota and Wisconsin, give us a call at 888-741-9025.
There’s More!
One of the best things we can all do to protect our environment is to use less water. Did you know:
According to the EPA, letting your faucet run for five minutes uses about as much energy as letting a 60-watt light bulb run for 14 hours!
Some of the ways we can do our part:
- Fix those leaks!
- Drips tend to be obvious and seem harmless but that water really does add up.
- Identifying toilet leaks usually isn’t as obvious but just as easy. Put a few drops of food coloring in the back of your toilet tank, wait 20 minutes. If the you see ANY of the coloring come through, you have a leak. Or next time you’re at the hardware store pick up a couple of Leak Detector Tabs from the plumbing isle. Leaky toilets are usually the flapper; an easy fix.
- Use choose Energy Star rated appliances when you need to upgrade.
- Newer dishwasher models use 31% less energy and 33% less water than conventional machines.
- Newer washing machines will use half the water and a third of the electricity of an older model.
- Install low-flow showerheads, use water aerators on all faucets.
- Quick showers are the way to go!
- Remember the lawn and landscaping!
- Choosing native species will help with water usages and maintenance.
- Don’t over water your lawn, and water later in the day.
Still have questions? Give us a call at 888-741-9025.