Water Treatment FAQs

1. Isn’t bottled water better than tap water?
Just as tap water can vary by location, the content of bottled water varies by bottler. Some of the highest quality bottled water is produced by reverse osmosis (RO) filtration, which typically reduces impurities by 95 percent or more. Reverse osmosis technology is available for your home through your local EcoWater Systems dealer.

2. Isn’t my mains water treated?
Many water authorities treat water to kill bacteria but they only have to adhere to statutory regulations. To eliminate common water problems, an in-home water treatment system is often necessary.

3. What, exactly, is treated water?
Treated water is hard water that’s been softened. Water is hard when it contains minerals such as magnesium and calcium. If you have hard water, you may see staining on your sinks, baths, showers and clothing; build-up on your glassware; and damage due to scale in your pipes and appliances. You may also notice less lather from your shampoo and soap and a filmy feeling on your skin. All of these problems indicate the need for softened water.

4. What’s so bad about hard water?
Hard water can produce a rock-like scale that builds up in pipes, dishwashers, water heaters, kettles and other appliances. This scale can also reduce water flow and clog valves and vents to create maintenance problems and reduce service life.

5. How is water softened?
Water is softened or conditioned by replacing hard ions such as magnesium and calcium with softer sodium or potassium ions. Water softeners must be treated regularly with a brine solution, renewing their ability to remove hardness from water.

6. How do I know what I need?
The first step to improving your family’s water is to identify your specific problem. Are there reddish-brown iron stains in your sink, shower or bath? Does your bath have a hard water ring? Does your water look dirty or cloudy? Does it sometimes smell? For these and other common problems, your EcoWater Systems dealer can conduct in-home water tests and recommend the perfect solution.