No, you should not drink water from a water softener, and most systems are not designed for it
Water softeners remove minerals like calcium and magnesium by swapping them for sodium or potassium. The water that comes out of a softener's tap is safe in the sense that it will not poison you, but it is not drinking water. The resin tank where the exchange happens is not food-grade, the system adds sodium that some people need to limit, and softened water tastes noticeably flat and salty to most people.
If you have a whole-house softener, your kitchen tap is already softened water. If you want to drink it, you can, but most households install a separate unsoftened tap at the kitchen sink or refrigerator for drinking and cooking. This is the standard setup because softened water is better for washing and cleaning but worse for drinking and cooking.
Key Takeaways
- Softened water contains added sodium or potassium and tastes salty and flat, which is why most people do not drink it even though it is not harmful.
- A whole-house softener softens all the water in your home unless you install a bypass line to keep one tap unsoftened.
- If you want drinking water from a softened system, install a separate tap that draws from the unsoftened line before the softener, or use a pitcher filter as a second step.
- People on sodium-restricted diets should avoid softened water entirely and use a reverse osmosis filter or bottled water for drinking instead.
Why softened water is not ideal for drinking
Softened water tastes different because the minerals that give water its taste are gone, and sodium has replaced them. Most people describe it as flat, slippery, or salty. If you grew up drinking hard water, softened water will taste noticeably off to you.
The sodium content is the bigger concern for some households. A water softener using sodium adds between 100 and 300 milligrams of sodium per liter, depending on how hard your water is. If you are on a low-sodium diet for heart disease, high blood pressure, or kidney problems, your doctor may tell you to avoid softened water entirely. A potassium-based softener adds potassium instead, which is better for sodium-restricted diets but costs more and is not safe for people with certain kidney conditions.
The resin tank itself is not food-grade, though the water passing through it is not contaminated. Still, the tank can harbor bacteria if it is not maintained, and the brine solution used to regenerate the resin is not something you want in your drinking water supply.
How to get unsoftened water from a softened system
The simplest solution is to install a bypass valve on your softener that lets you run one tap—usually the kitchen sink—directly from the unsoftened line. This is a standard feature on most softeners and takes a plumber about an hour to set up. The cost is usually between $150 and $300 for the valve and labor.
If you already have a softener without a bypass, you can add one later. Tell the plumber you want an unsoftened tap at the kitchen sink and possibly at an outdoor faucet. Some people also run the refrigerator ice maker and water dispenser through the unsoftened line.
Another option is to use a pitcher filter like Brita or PUR on softened water. These filters do not remove sodium, but they improve the taste by filtering out chlorine and other compounds that make softened water taste flat. This is a cheaper short-term fix if you are renting or do not want to modify your system.
What happens if you drink softened water regularly
Drinking softened water regularly will not hurt you if you are healthy and not on a sodium-restricted diet. Your body processes the extra sodium the same way it processes sodium from food. The main complaint is taste—most people straightforward do not like how it tastes and stop drinking it.
If you have high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, or have been told by a doctor to watch your sodium intake, softened water is not a good choice for drinking. Over time, the extra sodium adds up. A person drinking two liters of softened water per day could be taking in 200 to 600 extra milligrams of sodium daily, which is significant on a restricted diet.
Reverse osmosis as an alternative for drinking water
If you want softened water for your whole house but also want high-quality drinking water, a reverse osmosis (RO) filter under the sink is the most common choice. An RO system removes sodium, minerals, and other dissolved solids, leaving you with very pure water. The downside is that it is slow—it takes several minutes to fill a glass—and it wastes water during the filtration process.
An RO system costs between $200 and $600 to install and between $50 and $150 per year to maintain. The filters need replacing every 6 to 12 months depending on your water quality. If you are on a sodium-restricted diet and have a water softener, an RO filter is worth the investment.
Softened water for cooking and ice
Softened water is actually better for some cooking tasks. It dissolves salt and sugar more evenly, makes better tea and coffee (because minerals do not interfere with flavor extraction), and produces clearer ice cubes. However, some cooks avoid it for pasta and rice because the lack of minerals can make them taste bland.
If you care about cooking quality, run your kitchen tap through the unsoftened line. This gives you the best of both: soft water for washing dishes and hard water for cooking and drinking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drink water straight from my water softener tank?
No. The resin tank is not designed to hold drinking water and is not food-grade. Even though the water passing through is not contaminated, the tank itself can harbor bacteria and is not meant for direct consumption. Always draw softened water from a tap, not directly from the tank.
Does softened water have too much salt to drink?
It depends on your diet and health. A person with no sodium restrictions can drink softened water without harm. If you have been told to limit sodium by a doctor, softened water adds enough sodium over time to matter. A potassium-based softener is an option, but check with your doctor first if you have kidney problems.
What is the best way to get drinking water if I have a water softener?
Install a bypass line to keep one kitchen tap unsoftened. This is the standard solution and costs $150 to $300. If you want even purer water, add a reverse osmosis filter under the sink. If you rent or do not want to modify your system, a pitcher filter improves the taste of softened water.
Will softened water hurt my ice maker?
Softened water makes clearer, better ice cubes because minerals do not cloud it. However, if you are on a sodium-restricted diet, you may want to run your ice maker through an unsoftened line to reduce sodium intake from ice melting in drinks.
Is potassium-based softener water safe to drink?
Potassium-based softened water is safe for people on sodium-restricted diets, but it is not safe for people with kidney disease or taking certain medications. Talk to your doctor before drinking potassium-softened water if you have kidney problems or take ACE inhibitors or potassium-sparing diuretics.