Yes, you can drink softened water, but most people don't because of the sodium
Softened water is safe to drink in the sense that it won't poison you. The softening process removes minerals like calcium and magnesium and replaces them with sodium (salt). For most healthy adults, drinking softened water occasionally causes no harm. But if you drink it regularly—especially if you're on a sodium-restricted diet, have high blood pressure, or have kidney problems—the added sodium becomes a real concern.
The amount of sodium in softened water depends on how hard your original water was. If your water started very hard, your softener adds more salt to remove those minerals. A person drinking only softened water from a heavily hard-water area could consume an extra 500 to 1,000 milligrams of sodium per day, which is significant when daily limits are often 2,300 milligrams total.
For this reason, most water softening experts recommend keeping at least one tap—usually in the kitchen—on unsoftened water for drinking and cooking. This gives you the benefits of soft water for washing and cleaning while keeping your sodium intake lower.
Key Takeaways
- Softened water is not harmful to drink in small amounts, but it contains added sodium from the softening process.
- People with high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney problems, or sodium-restricted diets should avoid drinking softened water regularly.
- The sodium content varies based on how hard your original water was—harder water means more sodium added during softening.
- The standard solution is to bypass your softener at one kitchen tap so you have unsoftened water available for drinking and cooking.
- If you want to drink softened water throughout your home, a reverse osmosis filter or separate drinking water system can remove the sodium.
Why softeners add sodium in the first place
A water softener works by trading the minerals that make water hard for sodium ions. Inside the tank is a resin bed—tiny beads that grab calcium and magnesium. When the resin gets full, the softener backwashes with a salt brine solution to strip those minerals off and recharge the resin. Some of that salt stays dissolved in your water.
You control how much salt gets used by adjusting the softener's settings, but you cannot eliminate sodium entirely without switching to a different softening method. Even a well-tuned softener leaves some sodium behind.
Who should avoid drinking softened water regularly
If you have been told by a doctor to limit sodium, softened water is not the right choice for daily drinking. This includes people with high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, kidney disease, or cirrhosis of the liver. Infants under one year old should also not drink softened water regularly because their kidneys are still developing and cannot handle excess sodium the way adult kidneys can.
If you fall into any of these categories, the simplest fix is to install a bypass valve on your softener so that one tap—usually the kitchen sink—delivers unsoftened water. This takes a plumber about an hour and costs between $150 and $300 in most areas. You get soft water for showers, laundry, and dishes while keeping your drinking water sodium-free.
Testing your softened water's sodium content
If you want to know exactly how much sodium your softener is adding, you can have your water tested. A basic water test costs $25 to $75 and will show sodium levels in parts per million (ppm). Most labs can run this test, and some water softener companies offer it free or at a discount.
The EPA does not set a limit for sodium in drinking water, but the organization recommends that people on sodium-restricted diets keep levels below 20 ppm. If your softened water comes in above that, you have a few options: adjust your softener settings to use less salt (though this reduces how well it softens), install a bypass for drinking water, or add a separate treatment system.
Alternatives if you want soft water and safe drinking water
A reverse osmosis (RO) filter removes sodium and other dissolved solids from water. You can install one under your kitchen sink to treat drinking and cooking water while the rest of your home uses softened water. RO systems waste some water during the filtering process and need filter replacements every 6 to 12 months, but they are effective and relatively affordable—$150 to $400 for the unit plus installation.
Another option is a deionization filter, which works similarly to a softener but uses a different chemical process and does not add sodium. These are less common in homes but may be worth exploring if you want soft water without the sodium trade-off. A water treatment professional can tell you whether deionization makes sense for your situation.
Some people choose a potassium chloride softener instead of a salt-based one. Potassium chloride softens water without adding sodium, though it costs more to buy and refill. If sodium is a serious health concern for you or someone in your home, this option may be worth the extra expense.
What happens if you drink softened water occasionally
Drinking a glass of softened water now and then will not hurt you. The problem is cumulative—it is the daily, long-term intake that matters. If you are visiting someone with a softener and have a drink of their water, there is no reason to worry. The concern arises when softened water is your primary drinking source day after day.
If you have guests who are on sodium-restricted diets, offering them unsoftened water is a thoughtful choice. If your softener does not have a bypass yet and you are concerned about a family member's sodium intake, installing one should be your next step.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will drinking softened water raise my blood pressure?
For most people, no. But if you already have high blood pressure or are on a sodium-restricted diet, the extra sodium from softened water can make blood pressure control harder. Talk to your doctor about whether you should avoid softened water based on your specific health situation.
Can I use softened water to make baby formula?
No. Infants should not drink softened water regularly because their kidneys cannot handle the sodium. If you have a softener, use unsoftened water for formula, or install a bypass tap in your kitchen so you have access to untreated water.
Does boiling softened water remove the sodium?
No. Boiling removes some impurities but does not remove dissolved sodium. If you need sodium-free water, you need a filter system like reverse osmosis, not boiling.
How much sodium is actually in softened water?
It depends on how hard your water was to begin with. Softened water typically contains 100 to 300 ppm of sodium, though very hard water that has been heavily softened can reach 500 ppm or higher. A water test will tell you your exact level.
Is softened water bad for plants or pets?
Most plants and pets tolerate softened water fine, though some sensitive plants may struggle with the sodium over time. If you have a garden, using unsoftened water or rainwater is usually better. For pets, softened water is generally safe, but if your pet has kidney disease, check with your veterinarian first.