Drinking softened water

[ARD]

So I've been wondering, I've made 2 recent purchases that I am very happy with. After meeting with a fellow Newmar owner, I switched from my On the Go Water Softener to Pro+Aqua. I like the fact that I never have to open the water softener (unless changing resin). You can backwash and do the regen by removing the dual stage prefilter and putting the salt in the canister.

16,000 Grain Portable Water Softener with Pre-Filter Regeneration Kit

Upgrade your RV, boat, or home with the 16,000 Grain Portable Water Softener featuring a Pre-Filter & Regeneration Kit for superior water treatment. This compact, high-efficiency water softener removes hard minerals like calcium and magnesium, preventing scale buildup and extending the lifespan...

proaquawater.com

Next purchase was a Travel Berkey. I love it. I've been wanting one for years and after talking to @RVTY I finally bought it.

https://theberkey.com/

Okay, I'm finally getting to my question...will the filters after my softener (wet bay and fridge), including the filters in the Berkey filter out the excess sodium? Should I be filling the Berkey with pre softener water, but not pre filtered?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

 

[ARD]

So I guess the real question is are y'all drinking the water after it goes through the water softener? Do the filters after the softener make it safe from the increased sodium? Thanks.

 

[Neal]

Seems to me if setup like OnTheGo then everything coming into the coach is touched by the softener system. Don't think there is any way around that. You may have to buy gallon jugs of water for your Berkey to bypass softened water.

 

[ARD]

Seems to me if setup like OnTheGo then everything coming into the coach is touched by the softener system. Don't think there is any way around that. You may have to buy gallon jugs of water for your Berkey to bypass softened water.

I don't think so. I could just use the water from the campground spigot and let the Berkey filter it. I just never thought about the increased sodium when using the water from the refrigerator and or faucet for cooking, until I spoke to someone at Newmar while I was visiting Nappanee. He mentioned that his dog got quite sick from the softened water.

I can't figure out if the filters after the softener filter the sodium out. I've posted to the Berkey's Insiders Group also and will share what I find.

 

[Neal]

Is the softener softening all water coming into the coach, therefore your fresh tank is softened water?

 

[ARD]

Is the softener softening all water coming into the coach, therefore your fresh tank is softened water?

Yes, unless you have some kind of cold water bypass or an RO system under your kitchen sink. I'm guessing there is no bypass for the fridge so ice and water is being softened.

 

[sheridany]

I have the a similar set up and as long as you follow the instructions to regenerate the softener you won’t notice the salt in the water. We ran our softener for four months and our dog never got sick once. I made coffee and we drank the water from the tap and it was all fine.

 

[J&JD]

Doing a bit of research it seems as though drinking softened water is perfectly safe unless the water being treated is above 400ppm hardness which is seriously hard water. The only way to filter out the sodium, if you feel that it is necessary, is with a reverse osmosis system.

How to Make Softened Water Drinkable | Clear Water Arizona

Water softeners use sodium ions to replace minerals in our water, but does it mean soft water is safe to drink? Learn the answer from Clear Water Concepts

clearwaterarizona.com

 

[ARD]

Doing a bit of research it seems as though drinking softened water is perfectly safe unless the water being treated is above 400ppm hardness which is seriously hard water. The only way to filter out the sodium, if you feel that it is necessary, is with a reverse osmosis system.

How to Make Softened Water Drinkable | Clear Water Arizona

Water softeners use sodium ions to replace minerals in our water, but does it mean soft water is safe to drink? Learn the answer from Clear Water Concepts

clearwaterarizona.com

Thank you @J&JD. That was a great article. Answered all my questions.

 

[Tnedator]

I was going to say, most of the people I know who put water softeners in houses, do it whole house and don't have their drinking water non-softened. No idea if the technology is different vs. those to go units.

 

[murphysranch]

My recollection about Berkeys (I have a big berkey), is that it won't remove the sodium from the water. Looks like you found your answer, however.

 

[ARD]

My recollection about Berkeys (I have a big berkey), is that it won't remove the sodium from the water. Looks like you found your answer, however.

I just heard back from Berkey too. You are right. They recommend that I fill it straight from the campground spigot BEFORE it goes through the softener.

 

[ARD]

most of the people I know who put water softeners in houses, do it whole house and don't have their drinking water non-softened

It depends on how it is set up in the house. Evidently you can have a cold water bypass. I'm just learning. Almost 5 years RVing and didn't think about the water after it was softened because I always bought water to drink. With the Berkey, I hope to decrease the amount of FIJI that my dogs and I are used to drinking.

 

[Lab00Rat]

We do have some sodium chloride in our drinking and bottled water for taste. We typically have some there as residual from chlorinating for sanitizing the water system. However, Water softeners work as ion exchange membranes exchanging one ion for another. In this case sodium for magnesium and calcium. According to the EPA, there should be some level of NaCl in the drinking water. I'd find a test system to check your hardness level. I believe that above a 400ppm hardness, you'd really start to notice a taste difference in the salt exchange from the softener.
Berkey filters work on particulate size and organic absorption in the carbon filters. Salt would not be trapped in the carbon filter to any appreciable concentration.

https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2014-09/documents/support_cc1_sodium_dwreport.pdf

 

[ARD]

Salt would not be trapped in the carbon filter to any appreciable concentration.

That’s exactly what Berkey told me. Thanks for your post.

 

[redbaron]

@ARD -- you should not be buying Fiji water now that you own a London Aire. It should only be Buxton or Abbey Well. Your choice on still vs bubble water, but get with the program. We London Aire owners have an image to uphold.