Too much of certain minerals like calcium and magnesium in water causes a condition called hard water. Soft water, such as rain water generally has very few dissolved minerals, whereas hard water has a high concentration of dissolved minerals. Anything less than 60mg/Litre of dissolved minerals is considered soft whereas anything more than 181mg/Litre is classified very hard.
Hard water isn’t necessarily bad for drinking but it can taste bitter at the higher end of the scale. However, hard water can contribute to dry skin and hair. Washing your hair frequently with hard water can leave your scalp feeling itchy.
Water Hardness Classification |
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| Classification | Milligrams per Litre (mg/L) | Comments |
| Soft | 0 – 60 | Salty taste; Some report that soft water may aggravate cardiovascular diseases, but this hasn’t been backed up by WHO. |
| Moderately hard | 61 – 120 | Good for drinking |
| Hard | 121 – 180 | Good for drinking |
| Very hard | 181+ | Unpleasant taste; slightly bitter |
The bigger problem with hard water is that it causes lime scale to build up inside the plumbing system and on household appliances. When hard water is heated, calcium deposits can form. If these build up enough, it can greatly affect the performance and lifespan of appliances such as kettles and coffee machines. When scale builds up enough, pipes can get blocked and appliances fail. This is irritating enough in the home but on an industrial level it can cause considerable pain and expense.
Another problem with hard water is it’s almost impossible to create a lather, at least not without using an excessive amount of soap for long enough.
Call us today on (02) 8840 5177, or email us at sales@ilanwater.com.au, to discuss our range of water filtration systems to provide clean and great tasting drinking water at your home or office.