Advantages and Disadvantages of Water Softening

Advantages of water Softening are:

• Water Softening will deal with the problems caused by hard water such as excessive soap use and scaling.
• Depending on the type of water softening process used, softening may also aid in other water treatment processes.
• water Softening often removes iron and manganese, reduces tastes and odors, reduces total solids content, and removes radioactivity.
• The high pH associated with lime softening can aid in disinfection.
• When water is stabilized using recarbonation at the end of the lime water softening process, corrosion in the distribution system is avoided.

Disadvantages of Softening are:

• Water Softening processes are expensive.
• The high pH associated with lime softening tends to form hypo chlorate as the dominant free chlorine residual, which is less powerful disinfectant than other free chlorine residuals.
• The high pH may also increase tri halomethane levels in the water.
• If the water is not properly stabilized after treatment, then corrosive water may be produced which will corrode the distribution system.
• Ion exchange water softening, can also cause problems due to the high levels of sodium in the treated water.
• Both lime softening and ion exchange softening create waste disposal problems.