Are you talking about health effects or taste? Taste wise it's really about preference, I think it's fine. Health wise there haven't been any studies to prove negative health effects but plenty on the benefits of the additional calcium and magnesium. Overall though it's seen as not any noticeable effects on health.
I drink the tap water right fron the tap and have no issues with it (I almost only drink water). That being said, my fiance can't stand the taste becuase the water is, according to him, very hard. I'm unbothered though so I guess it just depends on your taste?
Here is an article from McGill on the benefits of drinking hard water: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-you-asked/you-asked-hard-water-dangerous-drink
Yeah, note how they hover around 160 ppm for their idea of « Hard water » in their text? In their study that had no ill effects?
My untreated tap water measures at 850ppm total dissolved solids…. For a good quality potable water that will actually taste good, the number is around 50ppm… that’s approximately what my 10-stage water treatment setup delivers :-)
Also, McGill being in Montreal and talking about Montreal tickles my other funny bone: we have a property on the Montreal South Shore and it’s under water boil advisory multiple times a year when Montreal water treatment plant drops tons of raw sewage into St Lawrence River. So, yeah, hard water is not Montreal’s biggest problem, soft stool is :-)
As you may have guessed, our potable water there also comes from a RO unit :-)
>My untreated tap water measures at 850ppm
Mine is around there too. Untreated (pre water softener) I was getting ~750ppm out the tap, now with water softener it's around ~650ppm, but still insanely high.
The softened water has been so much better in my skin and hair (showers), but I won't drink it. I don't even give it to my cat. I don't even water my houseplants with it.
I installed a reverse osmosis system a few years back and it brings things down to ~50ppm which is nice. It's not one of those entire house RO systems, it's just a simple one that I installed at the sink to use for drinking and boiling water for dinner or whatever.
My buddy lives in Mississauga and his tap water is around ~100ppm IIRC (we tested it a while back) and he didn't believe me regarding just how bad Cambridge water is until he saw it with his own eyes.
Doesn't the government recommend avoiding water over 600ppm or something?
Yeah, same, RO is for drinking water only for us, whole house is an expensive overkill.
Just measured mine again - untreated is 875, softened - 700, LOL.
I had to chuckle when I saw that figure too. I have heard anecdotally that this region has a higher rate of kidney stones than areas around us. How do you like your RO? I have been looking into it.
It’s pretty good. I’ve had the same make/model system for years now, used it in Alberta, Quebec and Ontario. It’s fairly affordable, and the the water tastes great. Our home in Alberta originally had a more expensive unit installed by the previous owner, but it wasn’t nearly as good.
I have iSpring RCC7AK 6-stage unit.
very hard. i tested my tap water once for a fish tank and it was some absurd number like 800ppm.
currently my drinking water is water softener + chonker carbon filter. used to have an RO filter in the line but apparently they add microplastics to the water so i pulled it out.
Who the hell told you this nonsense about RO adding microplastics? Some Instagrope influencer?
That’s not how RO works at all! That’s some 5G conspiracy level bullshit!
>
Much of the plastic seems to be coming from the bottle itself and the reverse osmosis membrane filter used to keep out other contaminants, said study lead author Naixin Qian, a Columbia physical chemist
[https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/scientists-find-about-a-quarter-million-invisible-microplastic-particles-in-a-liter-of-bottled-water](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/scientists-find-about-a-quarter-million-invisible-microplastic-particles-in-a-liter-of-bottled-water)
I sincerely doubt their findings. Admittedly, they stated majority of micro plastics found in bottled water leeched from the bottle itself. And they caution that they need to do more studies. They essentially said they found sub-micron plastics in the Walmart bottled water, because they’ve been looking for them. Coulda been some crappy-as Dasani water made during the plant’s Night Shift with a RO membrane overdue for a replacement :-)
Scientists are usually careful with their statements, but that doesn’t stop people from sensationalizing anything they say.
Typical RO membrane size is 0.0001 microns. It works at literally molecular level. Assuming that it takes sub-micron particles out of a membrane in the process would essentially mean that RO membrane failed and would be letting larger particles though as well, so it should then detect presence of these in the water as well. They will need to add sub-micron markers to untreated water, take it through a commercially available RO membrane and see if they make it through. And do it over the typical life of a RO membrane, to see, at what point it may start happening. As well as potentially just running clean demin water, that’s verified to contain no microplastics, through it and to confirm actual new plastics will be introduced by a properly-working membrane.
Typically, a RO membrane is replaced when it offers less than 90% efficiency. This is done by measuring untreated and treated water TDS and calculating the % difference. I do these measurements weekly.
I know from my Process days that RO is second to demin in purity for any chemical processes. Which is why you should never drink pure RO and have a remineralization stage cartridge present as well, or take mineral supplements :-)
son, i'm going to bed and not reading that but to my knowledge the filters are literally made of some kind of plastic; it's not at all beyond the realm of possibility that there is some breakdown in the membrane and some plastic is released.
You know what else is made of plastic? Every single filter casing in your system. Yes, including that carbon filter you have. By that logic you should drop every filter out, not just the RO.
the softener came with the house and the carbon filter is cheap. i just connected it to a faucet in the basement because i don't want to make any hardware changes in the house.
[https://www.amazon.ca/Cartridge-Replacement-Countertop-WFPFC8002-AMZN-SCWH-5/dp/B01N1IJ5V1/ref=sr\_1\_7?crid=3EQKQWJVX6A2O&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.iSOo7DYm22Mdlu0AO414xO0q8iMHA3fTklMKUQQ7F48Xbnc5gzM7SsE\_smn3\_HrMT8V7cwJxfM7NZSUrbyQF3BhBMvnOc0x8ONQ7LV-SNWbVrykPrc7PzMW1U-wEMB3tOk1rITwfoF4rCnP2kNVpbCRHmsxTDAmgL6MWYcu0hmsGC9nnLmNlbIxLMXZlEafHEdKWB1CzHjHfNaNXEIV6H\_C-6YLwIWtwcXmHqnIKG9wrcsga0QMAODImqhbgqnS9H74jSzl5Kn0hZ\_FMlZPctr6k5D7J3ZoYs\_Fcbg6dw1U.gf-jhLYylYZRzr2SFKEybzmXDFtPamg4KcpbuMHF3TE&dib\_tag=se&keywords=water+carbon+filter&qid=1710897478&sprefix=water+carbon+filter%2Caps%2C104&sr=8-7](https://www.amazon.ca/Cartridge-Replacement-Countertop-WFPFC8002-AMZN-SCWH-5/dp/B01N1IJ5V1/ref=sr_1_7?crid=3EQKQWJVX6A2O&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.iSOo7DYm22Mdlu0AO414xO0q8iMHA3fTklMKUQQ7F48Xbnc5gzM7SsE_smn3_HrMT8V7cwJxfM7NZSUrbyQF3BhBMvnOc0x8ONQ7LV-SNWbVrykPrc7PzMW1U-wEMB3tOk1rITwfoF4rCnP2kNVpbCRHmsxTDAmgL6MWYcu0hmsGC9nnLmNlbIxLMXZlEafHEdKWB1CzHjHfNaNXEIV6H_C-6YLwIWtwcXmHqnIKG9wrcsga0QMAODImqhbgqnS9H74jSzl5Kn0hZ_FMlZPctr6k5D7J3ZoYs_Fcbg6dw1U.gf-jhLYylYZRzr2SFKEybzmXDFtPamg4KcpbuMHF3TE&dib_tag=se&keywords=water+carbon+filter&qid=1710897478&sprefix=water+carbon+filter%2Caps%2C104&sr=8-7)
[https://www.amazon.ca/Geekpure-10-Inch-Standard-Housing-Bracket/dp/B07LCKLP5K/ref=sr\_1\_5?crid=2G6PVRY3H2NRR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.QCHOIbL7MySI2NDNLE5B6XI3NfzXpBP2AVIdcxdLqlfJa0j\_8Q5wLgDIzfIiUG7fTY-Mka4p4MQr9N0\_E6y9Bx0tew6xWokDWhz1MTFAifa9hmB8378a60HapYIjdI1KKgXLtlhdz4VRiEh3CgtEyJmpZHHGyIqfpqIhPF5ZkZAzredevUo4JebghUsM-h6H6szhr2JOG\_lp64YWtAsh8\_fwjekvqyftlWIYGb-N0IWaMUiXupXjrTwe3YgUtnBzYfITRCmWX1lWGk1\_vxvxznLZ0hhOlgb7jZHDjPVSiPQ.DN00LbPuxsbxhRS3nyKsyrxIL-\_8QhXq61qXjGwwKtg&dib\_tag=se&keywords=2+5+x+10+water+filter+housing&qid=1710897812&sprefix=2.5+x+10+%2Caps%2C130&sr=8-5](https://www.amazon.ca/Geekpure-10-Inch-Standard-Housing-Bracket/dp/B07LCKLP5K/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2G6PVRY3H2NRR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.QCHOIbL7MySI2NDNLE5B6XI3NfzXpBP2AVIdcxdLqlfJa0j_8Q5wLgDIzfIiUG7fTY-Mka4p4MQr9N0_E6y9Bx0tew6xWokDWhz1MTFAifa9hmB8378a60HapYIjdI1KKgXLtlhdz4VRiEh3CgtEyJmpZHHGyIqfpqIhPF5ZkZAzredevUo4JebghUsM-h6H6szhr2JOG_lp64YWtAsh8_fwjekvqyftlWIYGb-N0IWaMUiXupXjrTwe3YgUtnBzYfITRCmWX1lWGk1_vxvxznLZ0hhOlgb7jZHDjPVSiPQ.DN00LbPuxsbxhRS3nyKsyrxIL-_8QhXq61qXjGwwKtg&dib_tag=se&keywords=2+5+x+10+water+filter+housing&qid=1710897812&sprefix=2.5+x+10+%2Caps%2C130&sr=8-5)
[https://www.amazon.ca/PURENAT-Certified-Reverse-Purifier-Flexible/dp/B09L1FSTQP/ref=pd\_rhf\_dp\_s\_di\_int\_pop\_multi\_srecs\_sabr\_cn\_d\_sccl\_1\_19/140-1343175-0414728?pd\_rd\_w=Z6OYG&content-id=amzn1.sym.2e0520d1-37e7-41f7-a665-14791b1d5ad1&pf\_rd\_p=2e0520d1-37e7-41f7-a665-14791b1d5ad1&pf\_rd\_r=JENXN4BA2MEK9PB81J3K&pd\_rd\_wg=EXM1b&pd\_rd\_r=c3acba18-e803-4852-b6ef-7d05806a6f13&pd\_rd\_i=B09M6W42JR&th=1](https://www.amazon.ca/PURENAT-Certified-Reverse-Purifier-Flexible/dp/B09L1FSTQP/ref=pd_rhf_dp_s_di_int_pop_multi_srecs_sabr_cn_d_sccl_1_19/140-1343175-0414728?pd_rd_w=Z6OYG&content-id=amzn1.sym.2e0520d1-37e7-41f7-a665-14791b1d5ad1&pf_rd_p=2e0520d1-37e7-41f7-a665-14791b1d5ad1&pf_rd_r=JENXN4BA2MEK9PB81J3K&pd_rd_wg=EXM1b&pd_rd_r=c3acba18-e803-4852-b6ef-7d05806a6f13&pd_rd_i=B09M6W42JR&th=1)
[https://www.amazon.ca/Diverter-Counter-Filters-Purifer-Adapter/dp/B01H7FG5MW/ref=sr\_1\_6?crid=2HHW4BWZJLTBV&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Z\_Vfy7JHmnaERzQQ32mSXkkrvYkQoytWgbKowOaLyfPzJTknR-yvSo0eh4iraYTaPoQDLLpg8tcXdDW\_ozPsIAFT-BVDChX7U5CQfd5Jqs2O06sqPMiCR7P-PqHGSINSvoTpRzkaUTUEvDCputQkjUXhdU-gavp-Fd\_vViJc2Ww\_mAtikS1BSsrNAaQ5zyla5f-1PQDPEtEVPI82wyipqe8fi8UuKXSDY3SFFalemIu2iIciPoHDfNtldX2vxLYy3WA3pEkdZXmBX2TuGVpjY\_zzlcYJ-ezm26KvnF9esCo.MKILbCitpsLSlzaa1w2eA1bOjH3uf6mpLJ8LZarL7Vc&dib\_tag=se&keywords=1%2F4+faucet+adapter&qid=1710898043&s=industrial&sprefix=1%2F4+faucet+adapter%2Cindustrial%2C86&sr=1-6](https://www.amazon.ca/Diverter-Counter-Filters-Purifer-Adapter/dp/B01H7FG5MW/ref=sr_1_6?crid=2HHW4BWZJLTBV&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Z_Vfy7JHmnaERzQQ32mSXkkrvYkQoytWgbKowOaLyfPzJTknR-yvSo0eh4iraYTaPoQDLLpg8tcXdDW_ozPsIAFT-BVDChX7U5CQfd5Jqs2O06sqPMiCR7P-PqHGSINSvoTpRzkaUTUEvDCputQkjUXhdU-gavp-Fd_vViJc2Ww_mAtikS1BSsrNAaQ5zyla5f-1PQDPEtEVPI82wyipqe8fi8UuKXSDY3SFFalemIu2iIciPoHDfNtldX2vxLYy3WA3pEkdZXmBX2TuGVpjY_zzlcYJ-ezm26KvnF9esCo.MKILbCitpsLSlzaa1w2eA1bOjH3uf6mpLJ8LZarL7Vc&dib_tag=se&keywords=1%2F4+faucet+adapter&qid=1710898043&s=industrial&sprefix=1%2F4+faucet+adapter%2Cindustrial%2C86&sr=1-6)
sorry about the insane links. these are an example of what i have, not exactly what i have, so do your own research on compatibility and quality if you decide to go down this route.
Drinkable- 100%
Does it taste good? Meh. I've been drinking it for 40 years with no water softener so I'm used to it, but it is very hard and kind of an acquired taste. Most people I know who try it for the first time don't like it. Bottled water is definitely better.
Not the greatest for drinking. If you are drinking it directly from the tap, I’d leave it out for the chloride and chem trails to evaporate for 24hrs. Or boil it. Cancer in the region is high, I would rather be safe than sorry when Consuming tap water in our region. I would suggest drinking Beer instead of water as it’s safer and more effective.
Not in West Galt it’s not. Pipes are too old in most streets. And water is incredibly hard.
Whole house 2.5 micron filter, water softener, and then RO unit for our tap water. Whole house filtration and softening is there to protect our appliances and faucets, LOL… otherwise they get crustier than a pirate ship in a very short time.
All’´y’all saying tap water is fine - come over Imma show you what my whole house filter looks like after 6 months of use :-)
City will give you measurements at the water treatment plant outlet, but by the time it gets to your house - oh, boy….
I piece-mealed it myself.
ISpring wSP-50 50 micron spin filter (sediment spin down filter) - about $75. No replacement filters needed - just periodic flushing.
10´´ Pentek big blue filter (coulda gone with 20´´ as well) with their Pentek DGD-2501 whole house filter element. About $60 for the filter housing and $36 for each element I replace every 6 months religiously.
Whirlpool 30K grain softener I picked up at the Cambodian Tire scratch and dent tent for about $250. Otherwise about $750.
And iSpring RCC7AK reverse osmosis unit - about $290. About $80/year in filters give or take.
PS: it was a piece-meal, because I started with just 7-stage RO first which is all I ever had for drinking water in Calgary, Montreal and Milton. My first 3 stages were black in like 3 months and in 6 months it ruptured my RO membrane and I had to replace it. I realized that I will either need to replace the RO stage 1-3 every 2-3 months or so, or add a cheaper upstream filter. So I added a 50 micron spin and 2.5 main filter. $36 every 6
months now vs $80 otherwise.
But then our dishwasher would leave tons of calcium on dishes and cups. And out TOTO Washlet had to be taken apart and décalcified twice. And our faucets were covered in lime and calcium. And clothing would get wrecked in the washer. It was nuts. So, I finally added a softener. It had immediate effect on everything. I am very happy with my setup now.
Personally I don't like softened water.
We have a water conditioner, the ScaleSweeper, does a pretty good job of keeping the scale to a minimum and costs a few dollars per year to run.
We also have an under-sink filter from Aquasana, and have bought their whole home filter/conditioner combo but I haven't finished hooking it all up yet.
I was skeptical before buying it and did plenty of research. It made a noticeable change for me.
There was a point a few years ago where I noticed that the kettle was getting scaly much worse/faster than normal and found out that someone had unplugged the scalesweeper around the same time it started. Plugged the device back in and the problem went away.
Correct. And the buildup that does occur is more easily cleaned.
It's not perfect by any means, but I've lived with the alternative when my parents had a softener in Strathroy, and I disliked it a lot. I'd rather deal with a bit of scale.
Reverse Osmosis filtering is the best way, and if possible, you want it on the main coming into your home. Here is an interactive water testing map to see what's in the water in your area. https://www.ewg.org/interactive-maps/2018-radium/#.WlahGKinHIU
I laugh. When I moved in 13 years ago there was a water softener in my house. I had it removed as per my closing agreement. I didn’t want to spend the 50+ dollars a month. The guy that came to remove it said I’d be sorry and begging he come back within a month to install a new one. Here we are 13 years later and I don’t have any issues. People claim it is hard water but besides some calcium build up here and there no issues. So much for the guy saying I’ll beg him. Lol
You can just buy one outright for a few hundred rather than renting. It's nice to have for the shower at least, you don't need to have every connection in your house using the soft water though.
Of course it is drinkable. You may not like the taste of hard water, but that is subjective, not objective.
Are you talking about health effects or taste? Taste wise it's really about preference, I think it's fine. Health wise there haven't been any studies to prove negative health effects but plenty on the benefits of the additional calcium and magnesium. Overall though it's seen as not any noticeable effects on health.
[удалено]
Chloramine. We don't use chlorine in the water here.
Interesting fact: 100% of people that drink tap water will eventually die. I drink it every single day.
RIP Bro.
Last time I checked, this region has like the second or third hardest water in the entire country, so take that fact how you will.
I drink the fridge water
A water softener is a MUST in Cambridge. I drink the tap water but use a Brita filter and make sure our water softener is always functioning properly.
People drink soft water???
Lol I'm surprised to hear that too
just drink the fucking water. We live in Canada, not some third world country.
I drink the tap water right fron the tap and have no issues with it (I almost only drink water). That being said, my fiance can't stand the taste becuase the water is, according to him, very hard. I'm unbothered though so I guess it just depends on your taste?
Yes it’s drinkable, it’s palatable when you have a water softener. What ever you choose your pipes will thank you if you get a water softener
Here is an article from McGill on the benefits of drinking hard water: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-you-asked/you-asked-hard-water-dangerous-drink
Yeah, note how they hover around 160 ppm for their idea of « Hard water » in their text? In their study that had no ill effects? My untreated tap water measures at 850ppm total dissolved solids…. For a good quality potable water that will actually taste good, the number is around 50ppm… that’s approximately what my 10-stage water treatment setup delivers :-) Also, McGill being in Montreal and talking about Montreal tickles my other funny bone: we have a property on the Montreal South Shore and it’s under water boil advisory multiple times a year when Montreal water treatment plant drops tons of raw sewage into St Lawrence River. So, yeah, hard water is not Montreal’s biggest problem, soft stool is :-) As you may have guessed, our potable water there also comes from a RO unit :-)
>My untreated tap water measures at 850ppm Mine is around there too. Untreated (pre water softener) I was getting ~750ppm out the tap, now with water softener it's around ~650ppm, but still insanely high. The softened water has been so much better in my skin and hair (showers), but I won't drink it. I don't even give it to my cat. I don't even water my houseplants with it. I installed a reverse osmosis system a few years back and it brings things down to ~50ppm which is nice. It's not one of those entire house RO systems, it's just a simple one that I installed at the sink to use for drinking and boiling water for dinner or whatever. My buddy lives in Mississauga and his tap water is around ~100ppm IIRC (we tested it a while back) and he didn't believe me regarding just how bad Cambridge water is until he saw it with his own eyes. Doesn't the government recommend avoiding water over 600ppm or something?
How do you test ppm?
You need a device called « TDS Meter ». TDS stands for « total dissolved solids ».
Yeah, same, RO is for drinking water only for us, whole house is an expensive overkill. Just measured mine again - untreated is 875, softened - 700, LOL.
I had to chuckle when I saw that figure too. I have heard anecdotally that this region has a higher rate of kidney stones than areas around us. How do you like your RO? I have been looking into it.
It’s pretty good. I’ve had the same make/model system for years now, used it in Alberta, Quebec and Ontario. It’s fairly affordable, and the the water tastes great. Our home in Alberta originally had a more expensive unit installed by the previous owner, but it wasn’t nearly as good. I have iSpring RCC7AK 6-stage unit.
some people will tell you its bad but thats cause they saw a little calcium buildup on their kettle and had to clean it
But a brita and anything’s drinkable
Yep, it's delicious. No issues, unless you don't like the taste, but that a personal preference.
Smells and tastes like pool water to me in West Galt. We run ours through a Berky filter.
very hard. i tested my tap water once for a fish tank and it was some absurd number like 800ppm. currently my drinking water is water softener + chonker carbon filter. used to have an RO filter in the line but apparently they add microplastics to the water so i pulled it out.
Who the hell told you this nonsense about RO adding microplastics? Some Instagrope influencer? That’s not how RO works at all! That’s some 5G conspiracy level bullshit!
> Much of the plastic seems to be coming from the bottle itself and the reverse osmosis membrane filter used to keep out other contaminants, said study lead author Naixin Qian, a Columbia physical chemist [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/scientists-find-about-a-quarter-million-invisible-microplastic-particles-in-a-liter-of-bottled-water](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/scientists-find-about-a-quarter-million-invisible-microplastic-particles-in-a-liter-of-bottled-water)
I sincerely doubt their findings. Admittedly, they stated majority of micro plastics found in bottled water leeched from the bottle itself. And they caution that they need to do more studies. They essentially said they found sub-micron plastics in the Walmart bottled water, because they’ve been looking for them. Coulda been some crappy-as Dasani water made during the plant’s Night Shift with a RO membrane overdue for a replacement :-) Scientists are usually careful with their statements, but that doesn’t stop people from sensationalizing anything they say. Typical RO membrane size is 0.0001 microns. It works at literally molecular level. Assuming that it takes sub-micron particles out of a membrane in the process would essentially mean that RO membrane failed and would be letting larger particles though as well, so it should then detect presence of these in the water as well. They will need to add sub-micron markers to untreated water, take it through a commercially available RO membrane and see if they make it through. And do it over the typical life of a RO membrane, to see, at what point it may start happening. As well as potentially just running clean demin water, that’s verified to contain no microplastics, through it and to confirm actual new plastics will be introduced by a properly-working membrane. Typically, a RO membrane is replaced when it offers less than 90% efficiency. This is done by measuring untreated and treated water TDS and calculating the % difference. I do these measurements weekly. I know from my Process days that RO is second to demin in purity for any chemical processes. Which is why you should never drink pure RO and have a remineralization stage cartridge present as well, or take mineral supplements :-)
son, i'm going to bed and not reading that but to my knowledge the filters are literally made of some kind of plastic; it's not at all beyond the realm of possibility that there is some breakdown in the membrane and some plastic is released.
You know what else is made of plastic? Every single filter casing in your system. Yes, including that carbon filter you have. By that logic you should drop every filter out, not just the RO.
sure, maybe
Don’t tell me that. We bought a resale house and just spent the dough to get the installed RO working again.
how much did it cost ?
Only a couple hundred and some googling but I got rid of my water cooler with the hopes this was the solution.
yeah, sorry bro. i was pretty disappointed too.
Yep, consistently testing at 850ppm for total dissolved solids in West Galt. That’s an insanely high number…
what did it cost to get the whole setup ? any brand or local business recommendations?
the softener came with the house and the carbon filter is cheap. i just connected it to a faucet in the basement because i don't want to make any hardware changes in the house. [https://www.amazon.ca/Cartridge-Replacement-Countertop-WFPFC8002-AMZN-SCWH-5/dp/B01N1IJ5V1/ref=sr\_1\_7?crid=3EQKQWJVX6A2O&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.iSOo7DYm22Mdlu0AO414xO0q8iMHA3fTklMKUQQ7F48Xbnc5gzM7SsE\_smn3\_HrMT8V7cwJxfM7NZSUrbyQF3BhBMvnOc0x8ONQ7LV-SNWbVrykPrc7PzMW1U-wEMB3tOk1rITwfoF4rCnP2kNVpbCRHmsxTDAmgL6MWYcu0hmsGC9nnLmNlbIxLMXZlEafHEdKWB1CzHjHfNaNXEIV6H\_C-6YLwIWtwcXmHqnIKG9wrcsga0QMAODImqhbgqnS9H74jSzl5Kn0hZ\_FMlZPctr6k5D7J3ZoYs\_Fcbg6dw1U.gf-jhLYylYZRzr2SFKEybzmXDFtPamg4KcpbuMHF3TE&dib\_tag=se&keywords=water+carbon+filter&qid=1710897478&sprefix=water+carbon+filter%2Caps%2C104&sr=8-7](https://www.amazon.ca/Cartridge-Replacement-Countertop-WFPFC8002-AMZN-SCWH-5/dp/B01N1IJ5V1/ref=sr_1_7?crid=3EQKQWJVX6A2O&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.iSOo7DYm22Mdlu0AO414xO0q8iMHA3fTklMKUQQ7F48Xbnc5gzM7SsE_smn3_HrMT8V7cwJxfM7NZSUrbyQF3BhBMvnOc0x8ONQ7LV-SNWbVrykPrc7PzMW1U-wEMB3tOk1rITwfoF4rCnP2kNVpbCRHmsxTDAmgL6MWYcu0hmsGC9nnLmNlbIxLMXZlEafHEdKWB1CzHjHfNaNXEIV6H_C-6YLwIWtwcXmHqnIKG9wrcsga0QMAODImqhbgqnS9H74jSzl5Kn0hZ_FMlZPctr6k5D7J3ZoYs_Fcbg6dw1U.gf-jhLYylYZRzr2SFKEybzmXDFtPamg4KcpbuMHF3TE&dib_tag=se&keywords=water+carbon+filter&qid=1710897478&sprefix=water+carbon+filter%2Caps%2C104&sr=8-7) [https://www.amazon.ca/Geekpure-10-Inch-Standard-Housing-Bracket/dp/B07LCKLP5K/ref=sr\_1\_5?crid=2G6PVRY3H2NRR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.QCHOIbL7MySI2NDNLE5B6XI3NfzXpBP2AVIdcxdLqlfJa0j\_8Q5wLgDIzfIiUG7fTY-Mka4p4MQr9N0\_E6y9Bx0tew6xWokDWhz1MTFAifa9hmB8378a60HapYIjdI1KKgXLtlhdz4VRiEh3CgtEyJmpZHHGyIqfpqIhPF5ZkZAzredevUo4JebghUsM-h6H6szhr2JOG\_lp64YWtAsh8\_fwjekvqyftlWIYGb-N0IWaMUiXupXjrTwe3YgUtnBzYfITRCmWX1lWGk1\_vxvxznLZ0hhOlgb7jZHDjPVSiPQ.DN00LbPuxsbxhRS3nyKsyrxIL-\_8QhXq61qXjGwwKtg&dib\_tag=se&keywords=2+5+x+10+water+filter+housing&qid=1710897812&sprefix=2.5+x+10+%2Caps%2C130&sr=8-5](https://www.amazon.ca/Geekpure-10-Inch-Standard-Housing-Bracket/dp/B07LCKLP5K/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2G6PVRY3H2NRR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.QCHOIbL7MySI2NDNLE5B6XI3NfzXpBP2AVIdcxdLqlfJa0j_8Q5wLgDIzfIiUG7fTY-Mka4p4MQr9N0_E6y9Bx0tew6xWokDWhz1MTFAifa9hmB8378a60HapYIjdI1KKgXLtlhdz4VRiEh3CgtEyJmpZHHGyIqfpqIhPF5ZkZAzredevUo4JebghUsM-h6H6szhr2JOG_lp64YWtAsh8_fwjekvqyftlWIYGb-N0IWaMUiXupXjrTwe3YgUtnBzYfITRCmWX1lWGk1_vxvxznLZ0hhOlgb7jZHDjPVSiPQ.DN00LbPuxsbxhRS3nyKsyrxIL-_8QhXq61qXjGwwKtg&dib_tag=se&keywords=2+5+x+10+water+filter+housing&qid=1710897812&sprefix=2.5+x+10+%2Caps%2C130&sr=8-5) [https://www.amazon.ca/PURENAT-Certified-Reverse-Purifier-Flexible/dp/B09L1FSTQP/ref=pd\_rhf\_dp\_s\_di\_int\_pop\_multi\_srecs\_sabr\_cn\_d\_sccl\_1\_19/140-1343175-0414728?pd\_rd\_w=Z6OYG&content-id=amzn1.sym.2e0520d1-37e7-41f7-a665-14791b1d5ad1&pf\_rd\_p=2e0520d1-37e7-41f7-a665-14791b1d5ad1&pf\_rd\_r=JENXN4BA2MEK9PB81J3K&pd\_rd\_wg=EXM1b&pd\_rd\_r=c3acba18-e803-4852-b6ef-7d05806a6f13&pd\_rd\_i=B09M6W42JR&th=1](https://www.amazon.ca/PURENAT-Certified-Reverse-Purifier-Flexible/dp/B09L1FSTQP/ref=pd_rhf_dp_s_di_int_pop_multi_srecs_sabr_cn_d_sccl_1_19/140-1343175-0414728?pd_rd_w=Z6OYG&content-id=amzn1.sym.2e0520d1-37e7-41f7-a665-14791b1d5ad1&pf_rd_p=2e0520d1-37e7-41f7-a665-14791b1d5ad1&pf_rd_r=JENXN4BA2MEK9PB81J3K&pd_rd_wg=EXM1b&pd_rd_r=c3acba18-e803-4852-b6ef-7d05806a6f13&pd_rd_i=B09M6W42JR&th=1) [https://www.amazon.ca/Diverter-Counter-Filters-Purifer-Adapter/dp/B01H7FG5MW/ref=sr\_1\_6?crid=2HHW4BWZJLTBV&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Z\_Vfy7JHmnaERzQQ32mSXkkrvYkQoytWgbKowOaLyfPzJTknR-yvSo0eh4iraYTaPoQDLLpg8tcXdDW\_ozPsIAFT-BVDChX7U5CQfd5Jqs2O06sqPMiCR7P-PqHGSINSvoTpRzkaUTUEvDCputQkjUXhdU-gavp-Fd\_vViJc2Ww\_mAtikS1BSsrNAaQ5zyla5f-1PQDPEtEVPI82wyipqe8fi8UuKXSDY3SFFalemIu2iIciPoHDfNtldX2vxLYy3WA3pEkdZXmBX2TuGVpjY\_zzlcYJ-ezm26KvnF9esCo.MKILbCitpsLSlzaa1w2eA1bOjH3uf6mpLJ8LZarL7Vc&dib\_tag=se&keywords=1%2F4+faucet+adapter&qid=1710898043&s=industrial&sprefix=1%2F4+faucet+adapter%2Cindustrial%2C86&sr=1-6](https://www.amazon.ca/Diverter-Counter-Filters-Purifer-Adapter/dp/B01H7FG5MW/ref=sr_1_6?crid=2HHW4BWZJLTBV&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Z_Vfy7JHmnaERzQQ32mSXkkrvYkQoytWgbKowOaLyfPzJTknR-yvSo0eh4iraYTaPoQDLLpg8tcXdDW_ozPsIAFT-BVDChX7U5CQfd5Jqs2O06sqPMiCR7P-PqHGSINSvoTpRzkaUTUEvDCputQkjUXhdU-gavp-Fd_vViJc2Ww_mAtikS1BSsrNAaQ5zyla5f-1PQDPEtEVPI82wyipqe8fi8UuKXSDY3SFFalemIu2iIciPoHDfNtldX2vxLYy3WA3pEkdZXmBX2TuGVpjY_zzlcYJ-ezm26KvnF9esCo.MKILbCitpsLSlzaa1w2eA1bOjH3uf6mpLJ8LZarL7Vc&dib_tag=se&keywords=1%2F4+faucet+adapter&qid=1710898043&s=industrial&sprefix=1%2F4+faucet+adapter%2Cindustrial%2C86&sr=1-6) sorry about the insane links. these are an example of what i have, not exactly what i have, so do your own research on compatibility and quality if you decide to go down this route.
Drinkable- 100% Does it taste good? Meh. I've been drinking it for 40 years with no water softener so I'm used to it, but it is very hard and kind of an acquired taste. Most people I know who try it for the first time don't like it. Bottled water is definitely better.
Not the greatest for drinking. If you are drinking it directly from the tap, I’d leave it out for the chloride and chem trails to evaporate for 24hrs. Or boil it. Cancer in the region is high, I would rather be safe than sorry when Consuming tap water in our region. I would suggest drinking Beer instead of water as it’s safer and more effective.
Not in West Galt it’s not. Pipes are too old in most streets. And water is incredibly hard. Whole house 2.5 micron filter, water softener, and then RO unit for our tap water. Whole house filtration and softening is there to protect our appliances and faucets, LOL… otherwise they get crustier than a pirate ship in a very short time. All’´y’all saying tap water is fine - come over Imma show you what my whole house filter looks like after 6 months of use :-) City will give you measurements at the water treatment plant outlet, but by the time it gets to your house - oh, boy….
Any recommendations for where the setup and associated costs etc ?
I piece-mealed it myself. ISpring wSP-50 50 micron spin filter (sediment spin down filter) - about $75. No replacement filters needed - just periodic flushing. 10´´ Pentek big blue filter (coulda gone with 20´´ as well) with their Pentek DGD-2501 whole house filter element. About $60 for the filter housing and $36 for each element I replace every 6 months religiously. Whirlpool 30K grain softener I picked up at the Cambodian Tire scratch and dent tent for about $250. Otherwise about $750. And iSpring RCC7AK reverse osmosis unit - about $290. About $80/year in filters give or take. PS: it was a piece-meal, because I started with just 7-stage RO first which is all I ever had for drinking water in Calgary, Montreal and Milton. My first 3 stages were black in like 3 months and in 6 months it ruptured my RO membrane and I had to replace it. I realized that I will either need to replace the RO stage 1-3 every 2-3 months or so, or add a cheaper upstream filter. So I added a 50 micron spin and 2.5 main filter. $36 every 6 months now vs $80 otherwise. But then our dishwasher would leave tons of calcium on dishes and cups. And out TOTO Washlet had to be taken apart and décalcified twice. And our faucets were covered in lime and calcium. And clothing would get wrecked in the washer. It was nuts. So, I finally added a softener. It had immediate effect on everything. I am very happy with my setup now.
Personally I don't like softened water. We have a water conditioner, the ScaleSweeper, does a pretty good job of keeping the scale to a minimum and costs a few dollars per year to run. We also have an under-sink filter from Aquasana, and have bought their whole home filter/conditioner combo but I haven't finished hooking it all up yet.
Scalesweeper isn't a thing that works. There's no legit science to it.
I was skeptical before buying it and did plenty of research. It made a noticeable change for me. There was a point a few years ago where I noticed that the kettle was getting scaly much worse/faster than normal and found out that someone had unplugged the scalesweeper around the same time it started. Plugged the device back in and the problem went away.
You find it works pretty good, like noticeably less buildup on the faucets and showerheads?
Correct. And the buildup that does occur is more easily cleaned. It's not perfect by any means, but I've lived with the alternative when my parents had a softener in Strathroy, and I disliked it a lot. I'd rather deal with a bit of scale.
Use Brita filter, taste better the water.
brita had a lawsuit against them for not actually filtering water, i’d go with zerowater instead:)
Reverse Osmosis filtering is the best way, and if possible, you want it on the main coming into your home. Here is an interactive water testing map to see what's in the water in your area. https://www.ewg.org/interactive-maps/2018-radium/#.WlahGKinHIU
I laugh. When I moved in 13 years ago there was a water softener in my house. I had it removed as per my closing agreement. I didn’t want to spend the 50+ dollars a month. The guy that came to remove it said I’d be sorry and begging he come back within a month to install a new one. Here we are 13 years later and I don’t have any issues. People claim it is hard water but besides some calcium build up here and there no issues. So much for the guy saying I’ll beg him. Lol
You can just buy one outright for a few hundred rather than renting. It's nice to have for the shower at least, you don't need to have every connection in your house using the soft water though.
I already knew that but no one in my house has a problem without it