Is there any practical alternative to a conventional water softener for whole-house treatment?
I’m not a chemical engineer and do not live in a hardwater area, so I don’t consider myself an expert on solutions to hard water problems. It is my understanding that the traditional ion-exchange softener is still the only practical solution for whole-house systems. The problems relating to saline pollution of the environment are mostly associated with the release of excess salt during the re-charge process, which can often be done off-site by a service company. The best suggestion I can make is to seek the advice of a plumbing contractor who is familiar with the water in your particular area, and who has a local reputation to maintain. Definitely stay away from any of the mail-order miracles, most of which I consider highly dubious. For more information, please see my page on the chemistry of hard water.
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