When people search for a solution to Tenerife's hard water, they come across both water softeners and water filters — and the terminology gets confusing quickly. Some people assume they're the same thing. They're not. They work through fundamentally different processes, address different problems, and suit different homes. Here's the honest comparison.

How Each System Works

Traditional approach
Water Softener
Uses an ion exchange process: replaces calcium and magnesium ions (the hardness minerals) with sodium ions. The water feels soft and limescale no longer forms — but the calcium and magnesium are replaced by sodium. The system requires regular top-ups of rock salt to regenerate the resin bed.
⭐ What we install
Whole House Water Filter
Uses a combination of filtration media — typically KDF, activated carbon, and scale-inhibiting media — to physically remove or neutralise contaminants and reduce the hardness of the water without adding sodium. No salt required. The water is safe to drink directly from every tap.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Water Softener Whole House Filter
Removes limescale? ✓ Yes — ion exchange ✓ Yes — scale inhibition
Safe to drink? ✗ Not recommended — high sodium content ✓ Yes — clean, drinkable water from every tap
Removes chlorine? ✗ No ✓ Yes
Adds anything to water? ✗ Adds sodium ✓ No additions
Ongoing running cost Rock salt — approx €15–25/month Annual filter change — approx €80–100/year
Size / installation Large unit — needs dedicated space and drain Compact — fits in most cupboards or utility spaces
Good for drinking? ✗ Softened water should not be the drinking supply ✓ Every tap is filtered, drinkable water
The sodium problem with water softeners

Traditional ion-exchange softeners replace calcium with sodium. In Tenerife — where the water is already at 500–600mg/L — the softened water has a sodium content that is generally not recommended for drinking, cooking, or use by anyone on a low-sodium diet. Most softener installations require a separate unsoftened drinking water tap, which adds cost and complication.

What We Recommend for Tenerife

For most homes in Tenerife South, a whole house water filter is the better solution for these reasons:

  • The filtered water is completely safe to drink from every tap — no need for a separate drinking supply
  • No salt to purchase, store, or top up
  • Removes chlorine (and Tenerife's water has significant chlorine — a softener doesn't touch it)
  • Lower ongoing cost
  • More compact installation
  • No sodium being added to the water supply in a climate where hydration and diet already need monitoring

For drinking water specifically, we combine the whole house filter with a reverse osmosis unit under the kitchen sink — giving every tap filtered, drinkable water, plus ultra-pure water at the kitchen tap for drinking and cooking.

Whole house + RO: the complete solution

Whole house filter at €699 handles every appliance, every shower, every tap. Add the reverse osmosis at €399 for ultra-pure drinking water. Both installed in the same visit. Total: €1,098 for complete water treatment throughout the home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I drink water from a water softener?
Technically you can, but it's generally not recommended — particularly for infants, pregnant women, or anyone on a sodium-restricted diet. The ion exchange process replaces calcium with sodium, and the sodium content of softened high-hardness water like Tenerife's can be significant. Most softener installations include a separate unsoftened cold tap for drinking. A whole house filter avoids this issue entirely.
Does a whole house filter work as well as a softener for appliances?
Yes. Our whole house filters use scale-inhibiting filtration media that prevent limescale from forming in pipes, appliances, and heating elements — the same outcome as a softener for appliance protection, without the sodium exchange. Hundreds of customers in Tenerife South have seen their appliances last significantly longer after installation.
Are water softeners common in Tenerife?
They exist but aren't the standard solution here. The requirement for ongoing salt purchase, the size of the unit, and the unsaleable drinking water issue make them less suited to Tenerife apartments and smaller properties than the equivalent systems in the UK. Whole house carbon and scale-inhibiting filters are the more practical and popular choice on the island.
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Ultra Pure Water Tenerife British-owned water filtration specialists. Based in Tenerife South, serving Costa Adeje, Los Cristianos, Arona, Playa de las Américas and surrounding areas.

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