Less Hard Water Does Not Mean Soft Water

From the Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne, Indiana

In light of the article “Utility piping softer water” (Nov. 5) devoted to Aqua Indiana’s soft-water claims, the residents of the Fort Wayne area deserve to hear the entire discussion when it comes to the changes in their home water quality.

As a member of the local business community, as well as a Culligan dealer, I have been barraged with questions and have seen the misconceptions about Aqua Indiana’s water create confusion and frustration. Certain issues must be addressed head-on to give area citizens peace of mind when it comes to their water.

First and foremost, less hard water does not equal soft water. According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, only water that tests at less than 1 grain per gallon (gpg) concentration of hard minerals is considered “soft water.” Both the U.S. Geological Survey and the Water Quality Association support this classification. Hard minerals can include calcium and magnesium and are often the culprits behind dishwasher film, bathroom sink stains, itchy and dry skin and the decreased efficiency of water-using appliances.

There is no doubt that everyone has been affected by the region’s hard-water history at some point, with some tests charting hardness as high as 25 gpg. While Aqua Indiana has made some progress reducing the hardness, the area’s water still routinely tests at about 10 gpg. That still leaves a lot of hardness and even more questions.

That level still threatens residents’ pipes, challenges their laundry machines and wreaks havoc on hair and skin during every shower.

While Aqua Indiana’s claims ran without such qualifications, people removed their water softeners only to be faced with the uncomfortable truth about their so-called soft water. Water softeners still provide the highest level of soft water available, and Aqua Indiana’s vague statements and half-truths should not be taken without asking the tough questions.

The next time Aqua Indiana calls softener a “throw away,” it needs to face the hard facts about Fort Wayne water.

BRIAN O’ROURKE Fort Wayne

Our First Twitter-generated Blog Post!

Tweet. Drink. Repeat.

The Culligan Man loves the social media movement – for a few reasons. First off, the sheer amount of information keeps us better educated and better connected. News pours through my Tweetdecks like water over Niagara Falls. Secondly, it allows Culligan to ask consumers what’s important to them – and guess what? They answer. So in keeping with the invisible social media rulebook, it’s up to us to provide solid answers to consumer questions.

Now, I am proud to announce the unveiling of our first Tweet-generated blog post:

Twitter: @Local_Social
Where: Chicago
Question: “Do I really need bottled water in my home?"

Answer:

The Water Wise Guy crew will respond with a little help from our friends, a.k.a the Culligan dealers from around the continent. We’ll chime in to emphasize a point here and there.

From Steve Rangel, Rock Valley Culligan

There are a few variables to take into consideration when it comes to bottled water. There is a difference between need & want. Depending on the water source, i.e. well water, municipal water, etc you may be better off with bottled or reverse osmosis water.

The best way to find out would be through a water analysis.

(WWG thought: Private wells serving less than 25 people are not covered by the 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act. Arsenic and nitrates are fairly common contaminants in the Midwest, and it’s up to the individual to test, so bottled water offers a worry-free drinking water option.)

Paul Moorman from Culligan in Belleville, Ontario breaks down why he has bottled water in his home:

This is in addition to just drinking great tasting water.

- I use it in my ice cube trays – makes harder, clearer cubes that last longer and don’t mess with the taste of the drink I put them in.

- My wife uses it in her iron to prevent blocking the steamer.

- It keeps our coffee maker clean and working better. And the coffee tastes better too!

My dog likes it better than our tap water!

(WWG: They can talk to dogs in Canada.)

- I sure can’t get high quality drinking water when I’m on the go. Only bottled water lets me do that. Having it at home to fill re-usable bottles saves time and money!

- My daughter fills her eco-friendly stainless steel bottle with mineral free, high quality Culligan water for her high school basketball games.

Canadian Culligan Dealer Helps Winter Wonderland

This article is from last year, but gives you a good flavor of the time and energy it takes to create these outdoor masterpieces. The bottom of the post is where you can find Culligan's role.

From the Ottawa Citizen
2008

For the past half dozen years or so, the National Capital Commission has stocked Winterlude with blocks of ice from a company called Iceculture, based in Hensall, Ont., just southeast of Goderich on the southeastern shore of Lake Huron.

Iceculture claims to be possibly the world's largest supplier of crystal-clear ice, and certainly North America's biggest. Each year, the company makes 25,000 blocks of ice for clients around the world. Apart from Winterlude, for example, the company recently hauled 90,000 kilograms of ice -- roughly enough to fill a school bus, and also the amount of water a fin whale draws in a single gulp -- to Dubai and then spent two weeks building an ice lounge, called Chill Out, inside a shopping mall. Next month, they'll head to Thailand to construct a similar one there.

This year, Iceculture will ship 1,800 blocks of ice to Winterlude, each weighing about 140 kilograms (300 pounds) and measuring 100 centimetres by 50 centimetres by 25 centimetres. That's enough ice to cover an NHL rink to a thickness of 15 centimetres. Its total weight of about 245 metric tonnes is roughly equivalent to four times the weight of all the players currently on NHL rosters.

But what makes the ice blocks clear?

According to Iceculture general manager Heidi Bayley, the secret is in the freezing process, which is designed to remove the trapped bubbles of air that typically make the ice cubes in your freezer so cloudy.

"It's very simple, but it's really sensitive," she says. "We have tanks that freeze the blocks from one side through to the other -- the cooling elements are on the bottom of the machine. At the same time, we circulate the water so that, as it freezes from one side, the circulation actually pushes any air out.

"The second thing we do," adds Bayley, "is we run it through an RO (reverse osmosis) system, a really giant Culligan water system that removes any impurities and minerals, such as calcium, which can add white spots to the blocks."

What makes better water, better?

There are a lot of people out there frustrated that no matter what they do, their dishes and clothes do not get clean. Maybe you’re one of these people? And maybe you’ve tried all of the tricks and old wives tales to fix this problem – different laundry detergents, changing dishwasher soap, possibly even the purchase of a new appliance?

Like most bad situations, it’s important to get to the root of the problem. In this particular situation, often the root of the problem is the water being used. Problem water is full of minerals and sediments, that over time, cause scale buildup on dishes, clothes, plumbing and appliances. It’s one of those, “I should have known this” moments we're all guilty of.

The decision of whether or not to invest in a household of better water, through a water softener, is dependent on different factors. Water is an essential part of our everyday life; therefore, it makes sense that we use the best water out there. It’s like any other major purchase; you want the best, and you hope that it improves your quality of life.

Here is a list of the effects of better water:
• Use of less detergent
• More efficient and longer lasting appliances
• Clear glasses and dishes
• Laundry that is cleaner and softer to the touch

So rather than trying out a different brand of laundry detergent, or investing in a new washing machine, consider the option for better water.