Drinking softened water

[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.