We all know that water contains naturally found minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, and silica. Rain water leaves spots on our cars, taking a shower leaves spots on our glass doors, and mineral residue is left over in steam pans, humidifiers, and tea kettles.

These minerals are essential for our health (along with a healthy diet, filtered water, and exercise - you know the drill), and the longest lived cultures in the world have high mineral content in their drinking water. Environmental Water Systems makes a complete series of whole home water filtration systems — called the EWS Series — that filters all the water coming into your home while assisting with hard water issues such as spotting and scale build-up.

The EWS Series provides, in one unit, the highest-quality medical-grade carbon filtration media (filters chlorine, chloramines, VOCs, THMs, pesticides, jet fuel, etc.) and a physical salt-free conditioning of hardness minerals for easier clean-up and scale prevention.

A salt softener, on the other hand, would strip the water of its minerals in exchange for salt (sodium or potassium chloride) and do absolutely NOTHING to filter your drinking water. In addition, salt softened water will corrode metal pipes and surfaces (except stainless) and the brine discharge from a salt softener is environmentally harmful. As a result, softeners are banned and restricted in many areas in California, Texas, and other states.

In some cases, salt softeners may be necessary due to truly excessive water hardness levels or a preference by some who like the slick feeling in the shower (in which case, a softener can be put on the hot side only). While EWS does not advocate the use of salt softeners, they still make the most efficient, "friendliest" salt softener available, using 75% less salt than other softeners, and using an advanced metered valve which results in 60% less brine discharge than other efficient softeners.

Keep in mind that with any water filtration system or salt softener, we all still need to clean our pots and pans, squeegee down our shower doors, and keep a general level of cleanliness to avoid water spots and scaling on our surfaces. It would be like getting the greatest air filters and expecting that you'll never have to dust or vacuum the house again. The EWS Series will provide healthy drinking water, healthy chlorine-free showering, and help solve the problems associated with hard water.

"I have been using an EWS system since 1987, when they first came out. My two children were raised with filtered water, and have almost exclusively showered in filtered water. They were almost never sick, never had any respiratory issues, and their hair and skin was never dry or rough like so many of the other children at their schools. My own skin, even now that I'm 60, is smooth and hydrated, and my hair is healthy and does not suffer the breakage it used to when I would shower in chlorinated water. We have hard water here, and the system makes it a lot easier on me to wipe up spots. The spots don't stick and build-up like they normally would. I honestly could not imagine my life without an EWS system and recommend it to everyone that asks what I use for water filtration."

— Barbara E., Las Vegas, NV