The Hard Truth About Over-Mineralized Water

Sure, the chalky white residue on all your faucets is annoying. And who doesn't hate that gross ring in the bathtub? But by and large, the effects of over-mineralized or so-called hard water probably seem like a nuisance, meaning doing anything about it seems like a luxury. It's simple to correct, though, and there are some good, hard reasons to invest in a water filter-for your health and that of your home.

The problem

First, the good news. Hard water is formed when water filters through limestone or chalk, picking up calcium and magnesium along the way. That means hard water can actually be a good source of these minerals that are so crucial to bone density, blood pressure, and metabolism.

But it's all about balance. Although it's uncommon and usually the result of over-supplementation, it is possible to ingest too much calcium. Over time, excess calcium in your body raises your risk for kidney stones, and it can also find its way to any fatty plaques that may be narrowing your arteries, literally calcifying them.

Calcium and magnesium are the minerals you can see in your water, usually in the form of spots on your glasses and chalky residue on all your pots, but sulfur can be present, too-and its presence in drinking water isn't regulated by the EPA. Sulfur is another element that we all need some of in our diets, but high levels in drinking water can cause diarrhea.

Water hardness can also be caused by the presence of aluminum, barium, and strontium. While strontium ranelate is sometimes used therapeutically for osteoporosis, too much strontium in the form of strontium citrate and chloride can actually weaken bones by displacing calcium. Excessive, long-term ingestion of water-soluble barium compounds is associated with hypertension, arrhythmia, and even heart damage. Some studies have linked exposure to aluminum with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.

But the most common threat to your health by over-mineralized water isn't posed by drinking it at all: it's what it can do to your skin. All that nasty white scale you see building up on your pots, pans, and faucets? Yeah, it's building up on your skin, too. It clogs pores, which traps the oil they produce. The result is a double-whammy of painful breakouts and dry, itchy skin.

There are secondary health risks, too. Even hard water that's not harmful to drink will still interfere with soaps and detergents. That's just chemistry. Hard water plus soap equals a lot less lather and a lot more soap scum. If you have over-mineralized water, you probably already know this, because it's all over your sinks and your tub. Well, if it grosses you (or your house guests) out, it really should. It can be a breeding ground for mold and bacteria. Speaking of hygiene, the excess minerals in your water may be keeping your clothes dirty. Water hardness disrupts the effectiveness of your laundry detergent just like it does your soap. In the short-term, that's no big deal, but over time it can destroy your clothes while keeping stuff you don't want to think about in contact with your skin… all day, every day.

Finally, there's a really basic problem with hard, over-mineralized water: it's gross. The grosser it is, the less likely you are to drink it, meaning you're either shelling out for bottled water or you're letting yourself get dehydrated.

The fix

There's really no reason to live with over-mineralized water, because it's so easily corrected. Your best bet is to install a filtration system that will filter all the water in your house and spare your pipes and fixtures in the process. Even if that's not an option, you still don't have to drink the stuff: invest in either a pitcher filter for the fridge or a faucet-mount filter you can install yourself.

Filtering your drinking water will save you a lot of money in the long run, since you won't have to rely on expensive bottled water. You'll feel a lot better about your environmental footprint, too. Eight million tons of our plastic find their way into our oceans every year, an amount equivalent to five grocery bags for every foot of coastline on the planet. Youch. And, of course, you'll get clean, great-tasting water that'll keep you hydrated, healthfully. A good water filter will leave trace amounts of healthy minerals. Crucially, it won't remove fluoride, which is another concern for those relying solely on bottled water. Dental health is connected to everything from cardiovascular health to dementia, so keep your pearly whites strong.

Got chalk?

So how do you know you have over-mineralized water at home?

If you live in the USA and your home is connected to a public water system, you can find out exactly what's in your water by looking up the EPA's Local Water Quality Information for your municipality. Similar information may be available through the relevant government agency for households in other countries. If you wonder about the concentrations of elements such as strontium, barium, and aluminum in your water, the official report is probably the easiest way to find out.

Or you can do in a little kitchen-sink science to settle the question. Start with a clean, empty bottle. Fill it about a third of the way up with tap water, add a few drops of pure, liquid Castile soap, and shake. If your water is normal, you should get tons of suds, whereas in hard water the soap will barely froth. Commercial hard water test kits are available at most home improvement stores, as well.

But the truth is, you probably don't need a test to find out if you've got hard water. You'll know it by the effects on your home, which can be disastrous.

Hard water leaves chalky white residue behind wherever it evaporates. It's usually most visible around faucets and at the bottom of cooking pans. All that gunk is settling in your pipes and fixtures, too. The build-up can be enough to clog pipes or put your water heater on the fritz. So if you're getting cold showers you didn't ask for, listen to your water heater-literally. You may hear a whining sound when you turn the hot water on. The bottom line is that there's no reason to let over-mineralized water dull your style or your health. Invest in a filter and turn the problem off at the tap.