The key difference between hard water and soft water is that hard water contains lots of dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium whereas soft water is treated water, which does not contain a high level of minerals. Unlike hard water, soft water is free of harsh minerals that can damage your home and your body. The boiler becomes less efficient and consumes more energy. What is soft water? Without calcium and magnesium, soft water can prevent scale buildup around your home including your appliances and pipes. In many instances, the dissolved minerals in hard water are not harmful and can even be helpful. B—Temporal hard water precipitates calcium deposits, which build up along the coils. Soft water is surface water that contains low concentrations of ions and in particular is low in ions of calcium and magnesium. Soft water naturally occurs where rainfall and the drainage basin of rivers are formed of hard, impervious and calcium-poor rocks. In an age of water scarcity and shortages, it helps to know how to convert hard water to soft water at home so you can run your household in any situation. In other words, it is more gentle on your body and your home. Hard or soft water refers to the chemical composition of tap water. Many people can detect the difference in hard and soft water because of the effect it has on skin and hair after washing. In the illustration above: A—Soft water does not leave calcium or salt deposits. Anything dissolved in water, can and will react with other elements added to the water, or with anything it comes into contact with. Hard water is water that contains a large number of dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium. The boiler, therefore, remains efficient and uses less energy to heat the water. With Indian cities facing a water crisis and many homes facing water shortages, water tankers supplying housing societies with water have become a common sight. Hard water and soft water are terms used to refer to water containing high amounts of dissolved minerals and water with relatively low mineral content respectively. Though hard water has health benefits due to mineral content, scale formation during boiling, problems in plumbing, etc are some negative aspects of it. Hard water, soft water, bad water... what is the difference? hard water and soft water residue in boilers. Water can be naturally soft, like rain water or it can be chemically softened to remove calcium and magnesium. Hard Water is an issue for cleaning, for equipment, and increases the chemical activity of the water especially where pH is concerned; it is often considered healthier. In India, water scarcity has many causes, both natural and human-made.