Health Effects of Drinking Softened Water Despite
concerns about sodium and hardness levels in drinking water that have
been raised spasmodically over the last forty years, the World Health
Organisation advises that the decision whether or not to drink softened
water should be limited only by whether or not you like the taste.
WHO’s current, official position, published in the Guidelines for
Drinking-water Quality 2006, is that no firm conclusions can be drawn
on any possible health effects of sodium in drinking water.
The vast majority of softened water in the UK is safe to drink over
the long term. Its suitability for drinking is measured by the levels
of sodium in the water. To comply with the UK’s Drinking Water
Regulation requirement for safe drinking water, sodium levels should
not exceed 200 mg/l.
This policy is far from universal, though. In most of the European
Union Member States, the national regulations lists sodium only as an
indicator parameter, which does not contribute to the definition of
whether water is fit to drink. In the USA there is no limit on sodium
in the National Primary or Secondary Drinking Water Regulations.
Softeners work by replacing the hardness minerals with sodium. So,
the more hard minerals in the water supply, the higher the levels of
sodium in the softened water. For most areas of the UK, the sodium
levels of softened water will be well within this limit. However, in a
few parts of the UK where the drinking water is particularly hard,
sodium levels may exceed 220 mg/l.
A reputable water softener supplier will always check your water
hardness before fitting a softener. If drinking water should contains
over 200ppm of sodium, it does not automatically become ‘dangerous’ to
the majority of the population but it should not be used in the mixing
of baby feeds or consumed by those on a low-sodium diet prescribed by a
medical practitioner.
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Health Effects of Drinking Softened Water
