How does a water softener differ from filtration products?
Water softeners are not designed to improve the healthfulness of water, but rather to decrease dissolved minerals and reduce scaling of pipes and appliances. These systems typically use a sodium charged exchange medium that releases sodium ions and removes minerals such as calcium, magnesium, or potassium. From a health standpoint, the minerals would be preferred over the sodium. Filtration systems are designed to specifically remove harmful contaminants and leave in the natural minerals.
