The high concentration of dissolved minerals in hard water is crucial to the health of millions of people. People who drink the water don’t seem to be at danger from these dissolved minerals; on the contrary, they tend to be beneficial.
How would you define “Hard Water”?
Now hard water, often known as mineral water, is water that contains high concentrations of dissolved minerals such as calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, chloride, or sulphate. These dissolved minerals are not present in soft water. It’s possible that the source of the water affects how hard it is. In contrast to water that comes from glaciers or flows through igneous rocks, groundwater that has come into contact with porous rocks containing deposits of minerals like limestone or dolomite will have a relatively high degree of hardness.
Measurement of hardness
Hardness is measured in parts per million (ppm), which is equivalent to the quantity of calcium carbonate in milligrammes per litre of water. Soft water has a hardness value of 60 parts per million or less, moderately hard water has a hardness reading of 60 to 120 parts per million, and hard water has a hardness rating of 120 parts per million or more. Sea water has a hardness of around 6,630 ppm because of the high concentration of dissolved salts, whereas the average hardness of Montreal’s tap water is about 116 ppm.
Checking of the Minerals
Calcium carbonate, calcium sulphate, and magnesium hydroxide deposits may build inside of pipes and boilers as a result of hard water, which can hinder the effectiveness of soaps and detergents. This may reduce the effectiveness of the heating system and lower the water flow rate. Galvanic corrosion, the rusting of metal pipes, may also be brought on by the ions in hard water. In order to avoid the aforementioned issues, water softening filters frequently utilise ion-exchange resins, which enable calcium and magnesium ions to be swapped for sodium and potassium ions. However, this threat is mitigated by consuming water with above-average calcium and magnesium content. How are you feeling?
Consequences for Human Health Due to Hard Water
Most studies on the subject have shown that drinking hard water has positive effects on health. Several studies have shown that putting calcium and magnesium in water may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and that this effect seems to be dose-dependent. There is also some evidence that calcium and magnesium in drinking water can help prevent stomach, colon, and rectal cancers, as well as pancreatic cancer; furthermore, there is some evidence that magnesium can help prevent oesophageal and ovarian cancers. Some research also shows that young people who regularly use hard water are less likely to develop atherosclerosis.
Conclusion
Sometimes, hard water isn’t the best option, and it’s not always because of health issues. Hard water may become cloudy if the mineral salts in the water are dissolved at concentrations higher than they can normally be dissolved at. In addition, if there is more than 100 ppm of calcium in the water, it will have a “weird” taste. Despite the fact that none of these things is dangerous, consumers tend to choose items that have a “clean” appearance and taste. Although it may be hard on plumbing and appliances, drinking hard water has health benefits since it boosts your intake of essential minerals like calcium and magnesium.
+ There are no comments
Add yours