Is hard water harmful? 2 water quality engineers explain the potential advantages and downsides of hard water

When you switch on the tap to get a glass of water or wash your face, you most likely don't take into consideration what's in your water – aside from water. Depending on where you reside and whether you’ve got a water softener, your water may contain dissolved minerals like calcium and magnesium. And these minerals can play a job in keeping certain contaminants, like lead, out of your water.

The more minerals are dissolved, the “harder” your waterBut is difficult water actually good or bad for you?

As Engineering Researcher Anyone who studies water quality knows the positive and negative effects that soft and hard water can have on all the pieces from the water supply to the human body.

What is difficult water?

Hard water is water that comprises dissolved minerals resembling calcium, magnesium, iron and manganese. Soft water comprises lower concentrations of those minerals.

Hardness is measured in calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), which serves as a reference point for comparing different minerals.

The amount of those minerals in a city’s water supply varies by region. It depends each on where the water comes from and the way it’s treated.

Communities that get their water from wells reasonably than surface waters resembling lakes, streams, rivers and reservoirs often begin treating hard water. As groundwater travels through the soil to a well, it picks up minerals. At the identical time, harder water could also be present in areas where forms of rock and sediment usually tend to dissolve in water.

Impact on water pipes and distribution

Water that is simply too hard or too soft can damage the pipes and result in health and aesthetic problems.

Because hard water has the next mineral concentration, minerals can construct up in pipes, causing clogged pipes in homes and public water systems. Hardness also results in more deposits in higher temperaturesdue to this fact, water heaters are liable to mineral deposits. In areas with hard water, water heaters have a shorter lifespan.

But hard water may help too. While minerals from hard water can clog pipes, a skinny layer of mineral deposits in water pipes can protect you from absorbing toxins which may enter from the pipe itself. Water without minerals can play a job in pipe corrosion because with out a thin, protective mineral layer, the water can begin to eat away on the pipes and release metals from the pipes into the water. When you drink this water, you’ll be able to absorb metals like lead, copper and iron.

While water that is simply too soft or too hard can have different effects on water pipes, pipe corrosion and blockages are usually not only attributable to chemical aspects, but additionally by hardness. So there isn’t any specific level of hardness that may be a cause for concern. Water treatment plants take the suitable measures to regulate to different levels of hardness.

Effects on skin and hair

Whether you utilize hard or soft water when washing may have noticeable effects in your skin and hair.

Hard water is more Let your skin dryThe minerals in hard water draw moisture from the skin and form deposits that clog pores.

Hard water may strip moisture from hair, causing it to turn into dry and rough. Dry hair is more liable to frizz, tangles and breakage. Mineral deposits may form on hair and scalp, clogs the hair follicles and results in dandruff and slowed hair growth.

Many households have their very own Water softening systems. A water softening system may help with dry hair and skin and buildup. However, lots of these systems capture calcium and magnesium and replace it with sodium, a mineral that doesn’t contribute to water hardness, to lower the general hardness. Increased sodium levels in water is usually a problem for people on a low-sodium weight-reduction plan.

General health advantages

Apart from aesthetic elements and concerns about water heating, drinking hard water actually good for you and doesn’t cause any serious unwanted side effects.

For example, the additional magnesium and calcium you eat in hard water can a delicate solution to digestive problems and constipation.

In addition, researchers have found positive correlations between the hardness of drinking water and Bone Health. Since Calcium is a vital mineral within the bonesPeople in areas with calcium-rich drinking water can have higher bone mineral density and be less susceptible to osteoporosis.

Researchers have also found that drinking hard water is related to Reducing mortality related to cardiovascular diseases. Magnesium helps regulate your heart muscles, while calcium keeps the sodium-potassium balance in check in your heart muscles, which it needs to operate.

Whether you’ve got hard or soft water, don't worry an excessive amount of. Water treatment plants take appropriate measures to make sure clean water for the communities they serve.

To learn more in regards to the water hardness in your area, you’ll be able to contact your local water treatment plant and find out about their specific water treatment process. Private well owners can contact their state government to find out about testing recommendations for his or her area.