Water softening deals with a problem caused by the presence of dissolved minerals in water supplies and tap water. This condidition is known as "hard water".  The problem has to do with elevated levels of calcium and magnesium. The presence of these minerals can make it difficult for products like soap to dissolve in the water or can leave stains on bathtubs, sinks and even clog pipes. Hard water can cause enough issues around the home or business to warrant the use of a water softener.

Water softening is the process in which positively charged ions of calcium, magnesium and sometimes iron are removed. Hard water ions make it difficult for positively charged ions of other products to be dissolved in the water. Water softening removes the undesirable minerals from the water. The resulting water is easier on the home/business and their pipes.

A water softener is a appliance that removes the positively charged mineral ions (known as cations). What the softener does is take the cations of calcium and magnesium and replaces them with cations of dissolved sodium chloride (salt brine).

The science within the system:

Inside there is a exchange medium of sythetic resin beads. On the beads, is a coating of sodium ions. The hard water is filtered through the resin, causing a reaction. The mineral ions are filtered out of the water and replaced with ions from the sodium. This leaves a coating of magnesium and calcium on the resin bead. Water leaving the system is now soft. The system is then regenerated or backwashed with sodium solution (brine) for next use. This causes the ions to once again exchange and the mineral filled backwash is then removed through the regeneration process.