Many parents focus intently on nutrition, sleep schedules and screen time, but may completely overlook one of the most vital pillars of their child’s back-to-school routine: hydration. Even mild dehydration is closely associated with noticeable declines in concentration, attention span, short-term memory, alertness, processing speed and overall energy levels.
Studies show that students who maintain healthy hydration habits tend to perform better in school. For adults, staying properly hydrated supports a clearer mind and sharper focus on the job.
But before you send your child to school with that fancy water bottle or pack one for your own commute, consider a critical question: What is actually in that water?
Is bottled water just filtered tap water?
The water sources used for bottled water range from natural springs to municipal city water and private wells. How can you know for certain which contaminants are filtered out and what is still lurking inside?
- The reality of bottled water: The Environmental Working Group discovered that some popular bottled waters are virtually indistinguishable from standard municipal tap water.
- The contaminant factor: Consumer Reports detected measurable levels of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, often called “forever chemicals”) in several brands of bottled water it tested.
- The microplastic problem: Regardless of the quality of the water inside, there is one thing you cannot escape if you drink bottled water: consuming microplastics shed from the container itself.
- The environmental toll: Plastic water bottles wreak havoc on our environment. The Container Recycling Institute estimates that Americans throw away roughly 60 million plastic water bottles every single day. Most of those bottles are never recycled. They head straight into local landfills instead.
The clear choice: Why not enjoy premium, filtered water at home that is certified to remove the highest percentage of contaminants?
The Kinetico® K5 Drinking Water Station with VOC Guard is so technologically advanced that it is certified to significantly reduce more contaminants than almost any other filtration system. Plus, you get about 500 gallons of pristine water out of just one filter cartridge, keeping thousands of single-use plastic bottles out of our local landfills.
The truth about salt and water softeners
Homeowners frequently ask, “But isn’t there salt in water softeners?”
Kinetico whole-home water treatment systems use salt to remove hardness minerals, primarily calcium and magnesium. This happens through a highly efficient process called ion exchange.
Inside the softener is a specialized resin bed that captures calcium and magnesium ions, releasing sodium ions in their place. Over time, this resin bed becomes saturated.
The salt itself is not continuously added to your drinking water like an ingredient. Instead, it is used to recharge the system’s softening media. And when that softened water passes through a Kinetico K5® Reverse Osmosis membrane, the system traps and removes as much as 98% of the sodium and other dissolved minerals.
Managing salt in your water softener
Standard, single-tank big box store softeners often leave homeowners guessing about correct salt levels:
- Too little salt: The system won’t remove hard minerals effectively.
- Too much salt: The excess salt is wasted, costing you unnecessary money.
- The single-tank flaw: Most basic systems rely on a single tank. This means hard water bypasses into your home while the system regenerates. As hard water minerals build up over time, they can take a heavy toll on your plumbing, ruin dishwasher gaskets and shorten the lifespan of your water-using appliances.
Choosing the right salt
The three primary salt options are crystal, brick and pellet. Water softener salts can contain impurities and contaminants, which can cause a “salt bridge”. That’s a thick, hardened crust inside the brine drum.
Contaminants in some crystal and pellet salts can also clog the system with debris. This forces your system to work inefficiently. Salt bricks may sound simple but it’s difficult for them to provide the proper salt-to-water ratio.
The best choice is Kinetico Water Softener Pellet Salt, engineered specifically for high-efficiency systems and rated at 99.6% pure.
The twin-tank Kinetico advantage
Set up correctly, a Kinetico system eliminates the guesswork from your salt usage. Your water is conditioned 24/7. When one tank needs to regenerate, the other instantly takes over.
Most importantly, with Kinetico’s unique twin-tank system, it regenerates using already-softened water. The system protects itself from heavy scale buildup.
That is why Kinetico systems last far longer than standard alternatives, and why the Kinetico K5 membrane is backed by an industry-leading 10-year warranty. It’s the ultimate combination of Kinetico’s unique engineering and dependable, Made-in-the-USA quality.
Schedule your complimentary water analysis today
Whether you want to eliminate damaging hard water scale or experience the crisp, certified filtration of the Kinetico K5® Drinking Water System, Haferman Water is here to protect what matters most.
If you are a homeowner in the south metro Twin Cities area, contact us today. We can perform a complementary, professional water analysis during the same visit.
