Explainer
Water filtration versus water softening
Filtration removes contaminants for cleaner, safer water; softening removes calcium and magnesium to stop limescale. Here's when you need each — or both.
What filtration does
Filtration removes contaminants from your water — chlorine, sediment, lead, cysts, microplastics and bad tastes or odours. The goal is cleaner, safer, better-tasting water. This is what most South African households on municipal supply actually need, since the water is already treated to SANS 241 standard and simply needs refining.
What softening does
Softening tackles one specific problem: hardness. Hard water is high in dissolved calcium and magnesium, which causes limescale buildup in geysers, kettles and pipes, spots on glassware, and poor lathering with soap. A water softener removes these minerals through ion exchange — it doesn't make water safer to drink, just softer.
When you need each
- Choose filtration if you want cleaner, healthier drinking water — the priority for most homes.
- Choose softening if hard water is causing scale damage to appliances and plumbing — common with borehole supplies and certain municipal areas.
- Choose both if you have hard water and want purified drinking water — softening protects your home, filtration protects your health.
Unsure which you need? Skoon Water tests your supply and recommends the right solution.