When it comes to your drinking water, you want to know what you are putting in your body and whether it is safe and healthy. With so many different types of water out there, how do you know what type is best for you? From spring water to mineral water, soft water to hard water, navigating your drinking water options can be confusing. Here’s everything you need to know about hard water and how Lipsey Spring Water can provide you with fresh, safe water for your home and office.
What Is Hard Water?
Hard water is water that contains high levels of dissolved minerals like calcium and magnesium. These minerals are naturally occurring and get picked up as water flows through rocks, soil, and underground aquifers. Other minerals, such as iron, manganese, and strontium, can also contribute to water hardness, although they may be found in lower concentrations compared to calcium and magnesium.
The hardness of water is usually measured in grains per gallon (GPG) or parts per million (PPM) of calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE), which is a measure of the concentration of calcium and magnesium ions in the water. The definition of “hard water” can also vary depending on the region. In general, water with a higher concentration of calcium and magnesium ions is considered harder, while water with lower concentrations of these minerals is considered softer.
Is Hard Water Safe to Drink?
The short answer is yes; hard water is safe to drink. The minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, found in hard water are generally considered essential minerals that the body needs in moderate amounts for proper functioning. In fact, a study on the health impacts of hard water suggests that drinking hard water can offer a variety of health benefits, as these minerals can contribute to overall mineral intake in a person’s diet.
The minerals in hard water are typically present in relatively low concentrations, which also means they are unlikely to cause any adverse effects on health. If hard water gets treated, water softening methods that involve removing calcium and magnesium ions may replace these with sodium ions. This can result in increased sodium content in the softened water, which may not be suitable for certain individuals.
Benefits of Drinking Hard Water
Hard water can offer a variety of benefits because of minerals like calcium and magnesium. These minerals are considered essential nutrients for the body, and water impacts your overall health in key ways. Here are five examples of hard water benefits:
Mineral Content
Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth, muscle function, nerve function, blood flow, and other cellular processes. Magnesium is also involved in many physiological processes, including nerve and muscle function, heart rhythm regulation, and bone health.
Taste & Aroma
Many people prefer the fresh, crisp taste and aroma of hard water. The minerals present in hard water can give it a slightly mineral-rich taste and a distinct aroma that some find appealing.
Hydration
Drinking water, whether it’s hard or soft, is essential for maintaining proper hydration levels in the body. Hard spring water can be a great source of hydration, especially if you enjoy the taste and aroma of mineral-rich water, which can actually encourage you to drink more water and stay hydrated.
Cooking Use
Hard spring water can have different effects on cooking compared to soft water. In fact, hard water may be preferred for certain recipes because of how it can affect the texture, flavor, and appearance of certain foods.
Agricultural Use
Hard water can also be beneficial for certain agricultural uses. Some crops, like tomatoes and peppers, prefer slightly hard water for optimal growth and nutrient uptake.
The Lipsey Spring Water Difference
Spring water can be either hard or soft, depending on the geological characteristics of the area where the spring is located. Springs are natural sources of water that arise from underground aquifers and can have varying mineral content, including calcium and magnesium. Lipsey Spring Water sources its spring water from a cold, deep rock nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. This natural mountain spring water source is on private, family-owned land surrounded by a national forest, which means the water is protected from contamination by industry and agriculture.
Lipsey Spring Water uses a minimal filtration process that only removes fine particulates, which means we leave fresh and key minerals like calcium and magnesium intact so you can enjoy the freshest, purest hard spring water. We never treat our spring water with chemicals or preservatives and will never compromise the natural quality of our spring water. All purification processes for our mountain spring water uses naturally occurring ozone to ensure that Lipsey Spring Water always tastes a little better.
Order clean glass-bottled water delivered to your door with our premium water delivery service in Atlanta. Lipsey Spring Water is locally owned and operated, offering crystalline mountain spring water so you can enjoy fresh-tasting water in the comfort of your home or office any day of the week.