Soft water

Soft water is water that contains a low content of minerals, especially calcium and magnesium. These minerals are called water hardness and are responsible for the formation of scale and other problems associated with hard water.

The value of water hardness is measured in units, most often in milligrams per liter (mg/l) or in degrees of German hardness (°dH). Soft water is usually considered to be water with a hardness value lower than 60 mg/l or 3 °dH.

Soft water has several advantages. The first advantage is that less hard water usually does not leave scale on surfaces and plumbing fixtures. This means that calcium and magnesium deposits form less often in pipes, taps, boilers and other equipment. In addition, soft water is more acceptable to drink because it tastes better and does not leave an unpleasant feeling on the skin.

There are various methods to soften hard water, including the use of softeners that remove calcium and magnesium from the water and the use of chemical softeners. These methods are used to achieve the desired level of water hardness that is appropriate for the application.

Soft water can be beneficial for domestic, industrial and other applications where water hardness and its impact on equipment and processes are evaluated.