Ion exchange water softeners, one of the most common types, work by exchanging hardness minerals for sodium. Plants can't tolerate sodium, but that problem is easily solved by drawing their water from an untreated, outdoor spigot. However, if someone in your household is on a sodium-free diet, an ion exchange softener may not be a good idea. In areas with very hard water, these softeners could add 75 milligrams of sodium to each quart of water. Of course, you could always buy distilled water from the store for the person. But if you don't want that hassle, there are other alternatives. First, you might consider using a potassium-based salt in the unit, though this is more expensive. Or, you could look into other types of water conditioners, such as those that use ionic conversion or magnetism. These devices don't remove hardness minerals, but rather neutralize them, so the water behaves more like soft water. No salt is required. Finally, keep in mind that most water has some natural salt content as well. For more information on sodium in water, consult your doctor, and a water conditioning expert.
