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As you know, water is a vital need for your life and it needs to be as pure as possible for consumption. Although the water that comes through your faucet goes through a treatment process before it reaches your home, there are still things that may be wrong with your water. The primary functions of water treatment are water filtration, sediment elimination, and bacterium disinfection. Many areas also have hardness conditioning; however, many areas don't. If you have hard water or there are minerals, such as iron in your water, there are various water treatment methods that can be used to ensure the water you are drinking is clean, soft, and tastes good. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of the most common methods of water treatment.

Electronic Water Conditioners

Electronic water conditioners work by transmitting an audio frequency into the water by way of induction coils that are wrapped around the pipework. The audio frequency helps to prohibit the buildup of lime-scale inside of the water pipes and eventually reduces the existing lime-scale.

• Advantages- Electronic water conditioners are generally inexpensive when compared to other methods for the treatment of hard water. There is no plumbing installation required, so the system is easy to install. There is nothing added to or removed from the water, so it retains the healthy minerals and it's safe to drink.
• Disadvantages- This method of water treatment is designed to only soften the water, it does not remove added substances that may make your water taste bad, such as iron. It is an inexpensive method, so it works, but not as well as some of the other treatment methods.

Electrolytic Water Conditioners

An electrolytic water conditioner is an inline device, which means it must be plumbed into your water system. The device uses an electrolytic current to dissolve small metal ions to dissolve in the water, which then disrupts the positively charged scale (forms the scale particles), preventing them from clumping together and forming scale.

• Advantages-This water treatment method is also fairly inexpensive and does not require an electric power source, so there are no running costs. The device provides whole house protection against the buildup of lime-scale and the treated water is safe to drink.
• Disadvantages-In order to maintain full protection, an electrolytic water conditioner will need to be periodically replaced. Unlike an electronic conditioner, this method must be plumbed into the existing pipework.

Reverse Osmosis System

This method of water treatment is the method most people are familiar with. Reverse osmosis systems will remove magnesium and calcium ions from hard water, but they aren't typically installed specifically for this purpose. Most people install reverse osmosis systems in order to have water that is cleaner and purer. The system works by forcing water through a semi-permeable membrane that filters out the impurities.

• Advantages- Along with removing the majority of contaminants, reverse osmosis treated water has a better taste than non-treated water or even many types of bottled water. Reverse osmosis prevents scaling.
• Disadvantages- One of the main disadvantages is that the system uses a lot of water. The system only purifies about 10 percent of the water entering the system and the rest is piped to waste. They are not suitable for whole house treatment.

The primary goal of any water treatment method is to get rid of the contaminants typically found in the water supply. If you do not have hard water, but you are concerned about the taste or possible contaminants, such as excessive minerals in the water, a simple water filter may be all you need. Water filters are available in a variety of sizes and types, ranging from water pitchers to faucet filters. The best way to determine the cleanliness of your water as well as the degree of hardness is to have a technician from a local water treatment company test your water and recommend the method best suited for your needs.

For more about this topic, you will want to consult with a professional.