Water Hardness and Calcium
According to the USGS, water hardness is commonly defined as the total amount of dissolved magnesium and calcium in the water. Commonly for laymen, we often may notice water hardness when our skin feels gritty, and our hair more brittle, even after washing with soap and water. Hard water has a higher quantity of dissolved minerals, primarily calcium and magnesium. Hard water reacts with soap or detergent to form "soap scum," which is why more soap or washing detergent is required to clean hair, hands, or laundry.
Calcium Hardness
Calcium hardness is defined as the amount of calcium ions dissolved in the water and water source. These high mineral values are mainly due to the presence of calcium bicarbonates, carbonates, chlorides, and sulfates. The calcium minerals get into the water by washing over limestone and through chalk rocks. Maintaining appropriate levels is crucial for both water quality and safe drinking water.
Calcium Hardness is measured in parts per million ppm, milligrams per liter mg/L, or grains per gallon gpg of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in the water. The values for ppm and mg/L are interchangeable, whereas there are 17.1 mg/L per 1 gpg of hardness. It is the calcium ions (Ca2+) concentration in freshwater from 0 mg/L to varied values. The calcium ions (Ca2+) level concentration of 60 mg/L is considered the upper limit or soft water. Afterward, the calcium ions concentration of water defined hardness as 61 to 120 mg/L moderately hard, 121 to 180 mg/L as hard, and above than 180 mg/L as very hard. Though 60 mg/L and above of calcium ions concentration can be problematic in water supply and usage, it is not a health concern. It only gets deposits in plumbing and reduces the cleansing capability of soaps and detergents. Another interesting fact is that if the freshwater has a calcium-ion concentration lower than 10 mg/L, it supports only sparse plant and animal life, known as oligotrophic. This is why reverse osmosis systems are often upgraded with a remineralization component post-RO.
Testing Calcium Hardness
Drinking water with higher calcium-ion concentration is not known to have any adverse impact on human health; at a certain level, these minerals, calcium, and magnesium improve the taste of drinking water. Some RO companies like Home Master use a Patented Artesian Full Contact® remineralization system to add minerals like calcium and magnesium into its filtered drinking water to bring back the taste of water that usually gets filtered out with traditional RO systems.
The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that the water hardness may vary for different geographic locations. They mentioned a taste threshold of water hardness due to calcium-ion concentration in the 100–300 mg/L range. They also stated that water with a Calcium Hardness above 200 mg/L (approximately) may cause scale deposition and create difficulties in water supply and plumbing work.
How does it work?
Testing calcium hardness in the water source is possible with hard water test kits, inexpensive test strips, or by contacting water purification technology companies like Home Master experts to get your water source tested with a Full Laboratory Test kit. Test strips are a simple dip-and-compare. The Full Laboratory Test kit requires easy collection of water samples and then overnighting them to the lab. Titration test kits use a reverse titration technique of chemical analysis that measures the analytic concentration levels where the titrant volume of fixed, known concentration is inside the kit’s ampoule against the varying sample volume. After snapping the ampoule tip, the sample is drawn to the ampoule in a small amount until the color change signals reach the endpoint. Then, the titration stops at the endpoint, and the liquid level ampoule shows the concentration printed on the kit’s scale of the outer surface of the ampoule. It sounds complicated but very straightforward.
Additionally, the EGTA Method (calcium) is designed for a Calcium test kit to test Calcium Hardness levels in the source water. In this method, the titrant in an alkaline solution is placed with a zircon indicator, and all the results are measured in ppm (mg/L) CaCO3. However, test kits with this method only have an eight-month shelf life.
Adjusting Calcium Hardness Levels
Water's Calcium Hardness can be easily increased by simply adding calcite or cal/mag. Alternatively one may increase the calcium hardness by adding calcium chloride (CaCl2), but this generates heat. So, it is advisable not to directly pre-dissolve the calcium chloride in a bucket but instead spread it over the water's surface
However, to decrease the Calcium hardness, a sophisticated water softener is needed. A water softener helps lower the Calcium hardness by adding 0.46 milligrams of sodium to the water for each milligram of hardness. The Home Master Water Softener is a great-demand style water softener that provides softened water to every water faucet and showerhead in a home without drawing down water pressure and without needlessly wasting water and salt. It features a GE valve head with a user-defined hardness level and a setting for the desired softness.
Maintaining Consistent Calcium Hardness
Maintaining the Calcium Hardness consistency of water is similar to maintaining the other minerals, pH balance, and water purity. It starts with the periodical (after 3 to 6 months) testing of the Calcium Hardness of source water. Let us understand the steps to keep the Calcium Hardness consistent.
- Balance total alkalinity and pH level – First identify the alkaline and pH level of water, if needed, then balance it before testing Calcium hardness
- Test Calcium Hardness – Next is to test the Calcium hardness level of water using the testing kits or taking help from experts
- Adjust the Calcium Hardness – Use a water softener to decrease the Calcium hardness or add calcium chloride (CaCl2) accordingly to increase the level
Conclusion
In conclusion, considering the complicated nature of water quality and drinking water, calcium hardness is easily monitored and remedied for improved water feel and healthier appliances and pipes throughout the home. Understanding and managing calcium hardness levels in water is crucial for preserving appliances, and plumbing pipes, and for healthier skin and hair. Water softeners stand as stalwart guardians, efficiently removing hardness from water and transforming it into a more user-friendly form. The water hardness scale provides a guide of how much softening is needed to achieve the desired softness and protect appliances and plumbing units.
The first step in this calcium hardness level adjustment is to gain awareness about source water. Water hardness test kits allow us to gauge the calcium hardness of source water accurately. With this information, one can easily decide for or against adding water softener treatment equipment. Together, through water hardness test kits and water softeners, we can voyage towards a world where healthy, pure, and softened water is not just a necessity but a true elixir of life.