Another spring is here, a time of change and wonderment. The landscape changes, the types of birds one sees and the songs they sing change. Everything seems to burst with renewed life, including some water supplies!

For well water users and some municipally supplied water users, a change in weather can create a change in water. And friends, change is not always good. Well water may change with a rainy season, which can introduce materials to the aquifer that had not previously been there. Some municipalities change the source of their water supply with the changing seasons and weather conditions. Often times, the supply is from a well, and a different well means different water. Even two wells on the same property can produce two entirely different types of water.

In the spring and the fall, we can count on receiving calls from customers about this very thing. Common unwanted changes to the water include new colors, odors and tastes, which are produced by a variety of causes.

Irons’ reddish brown stains are probably the most familiar to us all. However, tannins—the result of rotting vegetation—cause staining very similar to iron. Shale, organics and manganese can result in black staining. These are just a few causes of color in water. If you find that you have any of these in your water supply, don’t despair; they can be treated.

Odor is another issue that can arise from the changing of seasons or weather. A concern we hear frequently is rotten egg smell resulting from sulfur. This can leave one wondering if an egg was missed in the Easter Egg Hunt. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple and we have to admit it is the water. 

Anything that alters the color of water can alter the taste. As an example, iron may produce a metallic taste. We frequently hear from people that grew up on well water and not only expect but enjoy the mineral or metallic taste. If it wasn’t present in your water before, though, it might come as quite a shock.

We even get calls from people with water softeners. Now, you may be asking yourself why your water softener is allowing these changes to come through. A water softener is designed to remove calcium and magnesium. These are the hardness minerals that create scale in pipes, appliances, sinks and tubs. Often times, however, staining and odor require a different type of treatment.

Color, taste and odor can become a permanent part of your water supply or they may be passing with the seasons. Rest assured; with proper testing and treatment, your water can be brought back to normal in no time. Your local water treatment professional can advise you based on their experience as to whether it may be passing or permanent and provide the perfect solution for you.

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There are many benefits to owning a water softener. Cleaning is made easier not having to scrub iron stains and soap scum build-up (not to mention no need for harsh chemicals), water using appliances last longer and are more efficient and clothes, towels and sheets last longer. Another benefit of soft water that people enjoy (and it’s not just ladies, we receive calls from men too) is softer skin and silkier hair.

Each year, starting around October, we begin to receive calls from home owners concerned their water softener is not working properly. After spending time in a discovery process conversation, we find the caller has based their concerns on dry and/or itchy skin and sometimes even ‘fly away’ hair. Typically the problem is seasonal dry air—when temperatures have changed and humidity levels have strongly reduced. Couple the dry air with furnaces and space heaters and homeowners may experience dryer than normal skin, even with a properly functioning water softener.

An easy way to spot check your water softener, to ensure its supplying soft water, is to wash your hands. If your hands feel squeaky when rinsing, this is an indication of hard water which is the result of hardness minerals clinging to your skin. Slippery feeling water when rinsing is the result of feeling the natural oils your skin produces.

If you’re still not sure your water softener is working properly, a technician can be scheduled to come to the home and test the water. Or, perhaps you can take a water sample to your local Kinetico dealer for testing.

There are wonderful, natural and affordable skin products on the market that can assist your water softener in getting you through the dry season. My personal preference is olive oil soaps and lotions. I’ve even found how-to articles and videos online that walk you through a step-by-step process on how to make them.

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Drinking and thinking… It’s not as maudlin as it sounds.  I sat down with a cool glass of water and my thoughts drifted backwards.  It hit me that I’ve been talking about water for 20 years!  Immediately my thoughts went to how boring I must sound to my friends and I quickly decided to go back to pondering the depth of the water topics rather than a lot of self analysis (much safer ground!).

How can there be enough about water to talk about it for 20 years? Some subjects are frequent, common topics and of course there are always new concerns cropping up regarding water quality.  One of them is sodium. 

Many conversations have revolved around the amount of sodium in the water supply from a water softener.  The fact is that most of the sodium is sent to the drain, not to the house.  Regardless of the water softener brand being used, there’s an easy calculation (see infographic to the right) to let a homeowner know how much sodium ends up in their water. There are also easy solutions for removing it, such as filtration.

So yes, I’m aware that there’s concern about sodium in softened water. But what about the sodium that occurs naturally in ground water or the sodium we take in from the foods we eat?  As an example, an apple contains one or two milligrams of sodium.  That’s pretty insignificant in the overall plan of less than 1500 mg per day. But the thought of trying to find all the sources of sodium makes my blood pressure go up even higher. Who knew apples had any sodium at all!?  On the other hand, sodium is required by the human body, so much so we have taste buds to detect it.  Ever crave potato chips?  I have found that peanut butter cups are the perfect blend of salt and sweet. 

I live in a rural area of northern Ohio.  Salt is commonly used as a de-icer for the roads in the winter.  How much of this salt makes it to my well water supply?  Lake Erie is famous for the salt mine under the lake.  How much salt is naturally in the ground around my home?  I do have a water softener contributing some salt to my water supply and I like apples. When I stop to think about how much sodium is all around me, I guess it’s a good thing I’ve learned to cook using herbs as replacements for salt.

The Mayo Clinic has an excellent Q&A regarding the amount of sodium water softeners add. They state, “The majority of sodium in the average diet comes from table salt and processed foods. Thus, the best way to decrease the sodium in your diet is by cutting back on table salt and processed foods.”

Here’s a recipe for an herbal salt replacement that you can mix up and use on most anything.  Mix it up and keep it stored in an empty spice jar:

• 1 Tbsp ground cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp onion powder
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
• 1 tsp dried savory
• 1 tsp ground mace
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp dried sage

This can be altered to your taste.  I leave out the mace, cayenne pepper and onion on chicken.  For beef, I usually leave out the sage and thyme.  Cloves and/or caraway go well with pork. These are all great to use in soups and stews in place of salt, as well. Play with it and make it your own. It's a fun way to eliminate sodium, that is, if you like to work in the kitchen.  I’m getting hungry...

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