Do Water Softeners Remove Iron in Water?
It’s best to tightly control the iron in your water supply, but the common misconception is that a water softener can help filter out the iron in your water, which is not the case. Depending on where you live, your water supply can have a lot of different elements present that you need to be cognizant of. Water contaminants very much depend on geography and location because there are particular natural factors that affect what is found in our water. Of the many elements that can be found in our water, the most prevalent are sodium, calcium, iodine, zinc, fluoride, and iron to name a few. The latter-mentioned element, iron, is very impactful on the look, taste, and overall quality of your water. Although its prevalence varies based on your geographical location, it’s something that we should all be aware of.
What Does Water with Iron Look Like?
Water that contains iron can often be aesthetically displeasing with a cloudy/reddish orange look to it. Iron makes up roughly five percent of the earth’s crust and is one of our most abundant resources. Iron will always be found in our drinking water, but will almost never be found at higher concentrations than 10 parts per million, but even a small amount like .3 mg/l can cause water to turn a reddish brown color. So, staying on top of the iron in your water is important to keep your water looking good.
How Does Iron Impact Your Health?
Iron is not at all harmful to you. Actually, iron is essential for good health, hence why many of us take iron dietary supplements to keep up the iron levels in our blood. Because we need to keep our water looking clear and clean, most of our tap water supplies only five percent of the dietary requirement for iron.
Iron in your water can impact the taste though. Tap water with high levels of iron can taste metallic, whereas when used to mix other beverages like coffee or tea, the result can be a harsh unacceptable taste and a gross inky appearance. Vegetables cooked with high iron concentration can also turn dark and look very unappealing.
How Can I Regulate The Iron In My Water?
Can you use a water softener to reduce iron in your water? Yes. Should you? No. A water softener system with iron will damage the resin bed and require more frequent cleaning and replacement. Iron is not what water softeners intended uses are. Instead, use a water filtration system that utilizes reverse osmosis to remove iron.
Reverse osmosis water filtration is not a chemically additive process, instead, it pushes water through an extremely fine filter to decrease the concentration of impurities. Culligan is proud to be the leading distributor of Reverse Osmosis systems. Schedule an appointment today to see how Culligan water can improve your home.
Water Softeners for Well Water with Iron
If you rely on well water, you’re more likely to encounter noticeable levels of iron, especially if your well taps into a groundwater source that naturally contains high iron concentrations.
In these situations, many homeowners think a water softener will be the perfect solution. While water softeners can remove a small amount of ferrous iron (that’s iron that is dissolved and clear when first drawn), they aren’t designed to handle iron at higher levels or in oxidized form.
Iron in well water often exists as ferric iron, which has already oxidized and turned into rust particles—something softeners struggle to filter out effectively. Trying to rely solely on a softener for this job can quickly foul the resin and shorten the lifespan of your system. For well water with noticeable iron staining or metallic taste, it’s best to pair your softener with a filtration system specifically designed to handle iron.
Reverse Osmosis For Water With Iron
Reverse osmosis is one of the most effective ways to address iron in your drinking water—especially when iron levels are relatively low and already pre-filtered. While RO membranes aren’t meant to handle large volumes of iron on their own, they can polish off trace amounts after a dedicated iron filter has done the heavy lifting. In other words, if you’re dealing with well water or municipal water with elevated iron levels, a whole-home iron filter should be your first line of defense, followed by a reverse osmosis system for your drinking water tap.
This dual approach ensures that your water not only looks and tastes clean but is also better for your appliances, pipes, and health. And because reverse osmosis doesn’t use chemicals or additives, you’re getting high-quality water without compromising on safety or purity.
