Activated carbon
A granular material usually produced by the roasting of cellulose base substances, such as wood or coconut shells, in the absence of air. It has a very porous structure and is used in water conditioning as an adsorbent for organic matter and certain dissolved gases. Sometimes called "activated charcoal".

Aquifer
A layer or zone below the surface of the earth which is capable of yielding a significant volume of water.

Backwash
The process in which beds of filter or ion exchange media are subjected to flow opposite to the service flow direction to loosen the bed and to flush suspended matter, collected during the service run, to waste.

Brine
A strong solution of salt (s), such as the sodium chloride brine used in the regeneration of ion exchange water softeners, but also applied to the mixed sodium, calcium and magnesium chloride waste solution from regeneration.
calcium - One of the principal elements making up the earth's crust, the compounds of which when dissolved make the water hard. The presence of calcium in water is a factor contributing to the formation of scale and insoluble soap curd which are a means of clearly identifying hard water.

Cation
An ion with a positive electrical charge, such as calcium, magnesium and sodium.

Cation exchange
Ion exchange process in which cations in solution are exchanged for other cations form and ion exchanger.

Flow rate
The quantity of water or regenerant which passes a given point in a specified unit of time, often expressed in gallons per minute.
gpg - Abbreviation for "grain per gallon".

Hardness
A characteristic of natural water due to the presence of dissolved calcium and magnesium; water hardness is responsible for most scale formation in pipes and water heaters, and forms insoluble "curd" when it reacts with soaps. Hardness is usually expressed in grains per gallon, parts per million, or milligrams per liter, all as calcium carbonate equivalent.

Hard water
Water with a total hardness of one grain per gallon or more, as calcium carbonate equivalent.

Ice Line
A line running from your Reverse Osmosis system to your ice maker giving you purer ice cubes

Ion exchange
A reversible process in which ions are released from an insoluble permanent material in exchange for other ions in a surrounding solution; the direction of the exchange depends upon the affinities of the ion exchanger for the ions present, and the concentrations of the ions in the solution.

Media
The selected materials in a filter that form the barrier to the passage of certain suspended solids or dissolved molecules.

Micron
A linear measure equal to one millionth of a meter.

Osmosis
A process of diffusion of a solvent such as water through a semi-permeable membrane which will transmit the solvent but impede most dissolved substances. The normal flow of solvent is from the dilute solution to the concentrated solution.

Oxidation
A chemical process in which electrons are removed from an atom, ion or compound. The addition of oxygen is a specific form of oxidation. Combustion is an extremely rapid form of oxidation, while the rusting of iron is a slow form.

PPM
The abbreviation for "part per million".

Preplumbed Home
Your home is pre-plumbed for a water softener/conditioner if you have a loop in the garage or laundry room. Typically, there will be 110 volt outlet within 6 feet of the loop and a 1/2” drain line stubbed out of the wall.

Rated service flow
The manufacturer's specified maximum flow rate at which a water softener will deliver soft water or a filter will deliver quality water as specified for its type, as determined under standard test conditions. A manufacturer may also specify a minimum flow rate or a range of service flows.

Resin
Synthetic organic ion exchange material, such as the high capacity cation exchange resin widely used in water softeners.

Reverse osmosis
A process for the removal of dissolved ions from water in which pressure is used to force the water through a semipermeable membrane which will transmit the water but reject most other dissolved materials.

Salt
The common name for the specific chemical compound sodium chloride used in the regeneration of ion exchange water softeners. In chemistry, the term is applied to a class of chemical compounds which can be formed by the neutralization of an acid with a base.

Sodium chloride
The chemical name for common salt, widely used in the regeneration of ion exchange water softeners.

Soft water
Any water which contains less than 1.0 gpg (17.1 mg/L) of hardness minerals, expressed as calcium carbonate.

TDS
The abbreviation for "total dissolved solids".

Total dissolved solids
The weight of solids per unit volume of water which are in true solution, usually determined by the evaporation of a measured volume of filtered water, and determination of the residue weight.

Turbidity
A measure of the amount of finely divided suspended mater in water, which causes the scattering and adsorption of light rays. Milky ice cubes and “floaties” in your water are caused by turbidity.

Ultraviolet chamber
The area where the water is irradiated with ultraviolet rays. This chamber is responsible for killing microorganisms.

Upflow
A pattern of water flow in which a solution (water or regenerant usually) enters at the bottom of the vessel or column and flows out at the top of the vessel or column during any phase of the treatment unit’s operating cycle. The term is used to describe ion exchange system flow patterns or water flow through filter media. A system can have upflow during the treatment cycle and downflow during regeneration. Upflow is also called countercurrent flow. Countercurrent flow means regeneration flows and service flows are in the opposite directions.

Upflow brining
Is a means of forcing the brine solution upward through the cation exchanger for regenerating the resin. Where the softening flow is downward and the regenerating brine flow is upward, the mode is also called countercurrent flow. Countercurrent flow means regeneration flows and service flows are in the opposite directions.

Upflow softening
A pattern of water flow used in softeners in which the service water flows upward through the ion exchange bed; the media is restricted in movement, usually because of a packed bed. The regeneration brine usually flows downward in such systems. Upflow softening is normally used to achieve higher operating efficiency.

Waste water
Water that has been used. 1. (RO, ultrafiltration, electrodialysis) The stream of water (not product water) created as the result of processing water-the reject water or concentrate. 2. (ion exchange and filtration) The spent water used in the total backwash and/or regeneration cycle. 3. The used water and solids from a residence or a community (including used water from industrial processes) that flow to a septic system or a treatment plant. Storm water, surface water, and groundwater infiltration also may be included in the waste water that enters a waste water treatment plant. The term sewage usually refers to household wastes, but this word is being replaced by the term waste water.

Waterborne disease
A disease, caused by a bacterium or organism able to live in water, which can be transmitted by water.

Water softener (mechanical)
A pressurized water treatment device in which hard water is passed through a bed of cation exchange media (either inorganic or synthetic organic) for the purpose of exchanging calcium and magnesium ions for sodium or potassium ions, thus producing a softened water which is more desirable for laundering, bathing, and dishwashing. This cation exchange process was originally called zeolite water softening or the Permutit Process. Most modern water softeners use a sulfonated bead form of styrene/divinylbenzene (DVB) cation resin.

Water softener salt
Salt suitable for regenerating residential and commercial cation exchange water softeners. Most commonly used for this purpose is sodium chloride (NaCl) in crystal or pelletized form. Rock grade salt should be 96-99 percent NaCl; evaporated salt should be 99+ percent NaCl. Potassium chloride (KCl) may also be used for the regeneration cycle in the cation exchange process, thus minimizing the amount of sodium added to both the softened water and the spent regenerant water going to the drain.

Water softening
The reduction/removal of calcium and magnesium ions, which are the principal cause of hardness In water. The cation exchange resin method is most commonly used for residential and commercial water treatment. In municipal and industrial water treatment, the process can be lime softening or lime-soda softening.

Water spotting
Cloudy milk-like film, spots, streaks, or heavy white deposits left on surfaces after water has dried from them, especially noticeable on clear glassware and cars after washing. Spotting is caused by minerals that had been dissolved in the water remaining behind alter the water has evaporated away. Soft water spotting can be wiped off easily with a damp cloth or rinsed off with a little fresh water. Hard water deposits, on the other hand, are comprised of the more tenacious calcium and magnesium salts. Hard water films typically require harsh abrasives or an acid cleaner to remove them. A third type of water residue film is due to silica (SiO2) deposits. Silica spotting is rare, but it is more difficult or impractical to be removed when it does occur. If glassware films won't dissolve in acids such as vinegar or lemon juice, they may be due to silica spotting or etching. If the spot won't dissolve in acid, but can be scratched off with a razor blade or pinpoint, it's likely a silica film.