How does a water softener work?

Via ion exchange: lime (calcium/magnesium) is exchanged for sodium in a resin bed, giving you soft water. Periodically, the resin regenerates with brine.

It removes hardness minerals, which reduces limescale and makes appliances last longer. The composition only changes regarding lime; it remains safe tap water.

The AquaCell works entirely without electricity; the Joep uses little electricity and is salt-efficient.

An average four-person household uses approximately 50 to 100 kg of regeneration salt per year. The exact consumption depends on your water hardness and water usage: the harder the water, the more salt is needed for regeneration. The Joep cleverly adjusts to your consumption, making it salt-efficient.

Yes. During softening, sodium is added to the water: approximately 8 mg per liter for every degree of German hardness (°dH) removed. For the complete softening of average Dutch water at 8 °dH, this amounts to approximately 65 mg per liter, well below the standard of 150 mg of sodium per liter from the Drinking Water Decree (RIVM). Softened water is therefore safe to drink. Please note: softened water is not the same as filtered drinking water (reverse osmosis).

A water softener makes the water throughout your entire home soft (limescale-free). Reverse osmosis purifies your drinking water (PFAS, heavy metals). Read how reverse osmosis works.

Water is soft below 7 °dH, average between 7 and 14 °dH, and hard above 14 °dH. In the Netherlands, the average hardness is around 8 °dH, but this varies significantly by region. You can find the exact value for your address on your water company's website (e.g., Vitens or Brabant Water) using your postal code.

Yes. The AquaCell works 100% without electricity (hydraulically) and uses a double cylinder, so you have soft water 24/7. The Joep uses little electricity and intelligently adapts to your consumption. However, a water softener does not work without salt: true softening requires regeneration with brine.

A high-quality water softener typically lasts 15 to 20 years or longer. At PureAqua, you receive a 20-year warranty on the resin of the Joep and 30 years on the resin of the AquaCell.

Both PureAqua water softeners are compact enough for a standard meter cupboard or utility room, close to the main water pipe. The Joep is approximately 27 cm wide, 48.5 cm deep and 48 cm high; the AquaCell is approximately 20.5 cm wide, 44 cm deep and 49 cm high. Not sure if it will fit? Send us a photo of your meter cupboard without obligation, and we will help you measure.

After purchase (Joep from €1,699, AquaCell from €2,348, excl. installation) the operating costs are low. The biggest expense is regeneration salt (approximately 50 to 100 kg per year for a family) plus an occasional check-up. Unlike reverse osmosis, no expensive replacement filters are required.

The main drawbacks are the purchase costs and the need to periodically refill the salt (approximately 50 to 100 kg per year for a family of four). In addition, softening adds a small amount of sodium to the water, about 8 mg per liter per degree of German hardness (°dH) removed, which remains well below the 150 mg per liter standard set by the Drinking Water Decree. Finally, the device consumes some rinse water during regeneration.

Maintenance is limited: you periodically top up the salt and occasionally check the settings. A professional service is not always necessary and costs on average 60 to 100 euros. Unlike reverse osmosis, there are no expensive replacement filters required.

A water softener generally pays for itself within 7 to 10 years, depending on your water hardness and consumption. The savings come from using less descaler, detergent, and soap, a longer lifespan for appliances, and a more efficient central heating boiler and water heater without limescale. The harder your water, the faster the payback period.

Expect to pay between 250 and 400 euros for installation by a technician, depending on your fuse box and connection. You can install it yourself using the included manual, but an incorrect connection risks leakage and sometimes your warranty. At PureAqua, you can have the installation taken care of by our technicians; ask for the exact rate for your situation.

During regeneration, the water softener flushes the resin bed with approximately 50 to 150 liters of water, depending on the model and settings. Modern, proportional softeners such as the Joep regenerate only when necessary and therefore use less flush water. On an annual basis, this amounts to a fraction of your total water consumption.

That depends on your set residual hardness. If it is set to 4 °dH or lower, dishwasher salt is usually no longer necessary. At a residual hardness of 5 °dH or higher, it is better to continue using dishwasher salt.

For most households, a residual hardness between 4 and 8 °dH is ideal: soft enough to prevent limescale, with just enough minerals for a pleasant taste. A lower residual hardness uses more salt, so those looking to save choose not to go lower than necessary. At PureAqua, we set this up for you during installation.

For houseplants and garden plants, it is better to use regular tap water or rainwater, as softened water contains slightly more sodium. That is why we usually leave the outdoor tap connected to hard water during installation, so that your garden and pond receive untreated water while you enjoy soft water indoors.

During every regeneration, a small amount of sodium and rinse water ends up in the sewer. For a normal household, this effect is limited. You can keep consumption low by not setting the residual hardness lower than necessary and by choosing a proportional softener that only regenerates when required.