Installing new water treatment system

[tdriver]

I live in NW New Mexico and am on Farmington city water. It is rather hard at 18 grains and dishes have a film all the time. Other water areas of the house have residue left behind. I would like to install a softening system.

I looked into all types including salt and non-salt types. There is one that has a magnet that clamps to the piping system. These all have carbon filter systems to remove chlorine and other chemical contaminates, which I think we need also. We are also on a septic system. Are we best off going with non salt softening and filtration or salt softening and have only the kitchen sink with RO system for drinking? What systems are getting the best ratings for cost and effectiveness?

Thanks, Tim

[ditttohead]

I manufacture and distribute many non salt based technologies, including anti-scale, electronic, magnetic etc. They have their place and application, but... almost everybody who works in this industry has a salt based system at their own house. Do not believe the "testimonials" of the non salt based systems. We manufacture a lot of these for other companies branded under their own name, and the customer satisfation rate is wildly different from the salt based systems.

The only time I recommend a non salt based softener is when the person is unable to maintain the salt (age or disability is the most common reason), or if they are in a brine restricted area or municipality, or if the person hates soft water and they will not be convinced otherwise.

Your water report shows some copper in the water which tends to quickly foul most anti-scale medias, it also contains lead. The water quality report does not go into detail about TDS, Hardness, competing ions etc that I would normally like to see to properly design a water treatment system. Your water contains over 1 ppm chlorine, I would recommend that be removed, but that is up to you.

What size is your plumbing? How many people in the house? How many bathrooms? Any unusually high water using devices? (mega shower..)

And... definetly an RO for drinking water at your sink.

[lifespeed]

Backwashing carbon filter, salt softener and RO are the best together.