On Feb 16, 9:51 am, "JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:
"Gary Slusser" wrote in message

oups.com...

As far as taste, that's usually the mind at work too. The vast
majority of people can not taste the difference between hard and
softened waters but... good water has no taste, it's the things
dissolved into water that gives it a good or bad taste.

Agreed, but it *does* taste different to me, and it can't be the mind at
work because like a good experiment, I haven't received any hints until I
know for a fact that someone's house has a softener. Sometimes, I can tell
by just washing my hands, other times by asking.

I've lived with naturally soft water (north shore of Nassau County, Long
Island), and it's quite different.

Yes we all tend to 'like' the water we grew up with and are familiar
with but.. it's only because we accept it. Naturally soft water is not
good water, it is low in TDS (total dissolved solids) and acidic (low
ph) and has very little hardness in it. It causes metals to be
dissolved in to the water like lead from old brass (prior to about
1990) and lead based solder (outlawed about 1990 in favor of 'lead
free' brass and solder) along with copper from copper tubing. Acidic
water causes pinhole water leaks in copper tubing.

So although it is a natural thing to do, comparing ion exchange
softened water to naturally soft water is not a good/valid comparison.
Softening water does not change the TDS or pH of the water although
with high hardness (25 gpg+), the TDS can increase slightly.

And since you had naturally soft water, then you shouldn't like hard
water at all. And 5-7 gpg isn't much harder than natrually soft water
which can have the same or less hardness in it but the pH can be down
around 5.8 to 6.5.

Gary
Quality Water Associates