Can I Drink Softened Water?
Yes you can.
However, we would always advise that the property retains at least one tap fed from an unsoftened supply.
I thought salt was bad for you?
In the new, Third Edition of the World Health Organisation’s Guidelines on Drinking Water Quality, 2003, there isn't sodium guideline. It only states that concentrations above 200 mg/l may impart a taste.
It is the UK Department of Health that suggests limiting sodium to 200mg/l in drinking water for babies and those individuals on a sodium free diet.
For comparison, some bottled waters that contain over 1600 mg/l of sodium.
Is softened water suitable for drinking purposes?
This is up to you. In the most cases softened water is considered wholesome and therefore safe to drink - but the answer is not always straightforward as there are some considerations.
In most of the UK, when hard water is softened with a water softener, the softened water usually will comply with the Drinking Water Regulations, provided that the concentration of sodium does not exceed 200 mg/l, it would be regarded as wholesome and considered safe to drink.
How much sodium is added to water during softening?
In order to keep below the 200 mg/l suggested limit for sodium, you can soften water containing up to 435 mg/l of calcium carbonate, but it depends on the original amount of sodium in the water supply.
How can I find out how much sodium will be in my water when softened?
Find out your water hardness of your incoming mains supply. Your water supplier can give you this information, and it is often available with online tools. The sodium levels will be directly related to this figure. If the hardness level is below 435 mg/l then all should be well.