Hard water is visible before it is felt: on the kettle's heating element, on the shower head, on the glasses that come out of the dishwasher with a white film. It is water with a lot of calcium and magnesium salts, safe to drink, but expensive for the appliances and unpleasant to the taste.
Olympus has two answers, for two different needs: a whole-house water softener, which protects the boiler, the boiler and the washing machine, and an anti-limescale filter for the water you drink, in the form of the dedicated cartridge in the double and triple filters. Made in Greece by Center Plus SA, with a 2-year warranty.
Signs of hard water
In the kitchen. The kettle develops white deposits within a few weeks, the coffee and tea taste flat, and there are marks on the glasses.
In the bathroom. The shower head gets clogged, white spots appear on the faucets, and the soap makes less foam.
To the devices. The central heating system, the boiler and the washing machine work with a resistance covered with limescale, meaning it works harder and consumes more. An anti-limescale filter at the entrance to the house is, most of the time, the first measure taken for the central heating system and the boiler.
If you recognize two of the three, your water is hard and it's worth choosing between the two solutions below.
Two solutions, two needs
| Water softener | Anti-limescale cartridge filter | |
| Where to mount | When water enters the house | In the kitchen, at the tap or under the sink |
| What protects | All appliances and installation | The water you drink and cook with |
| How it works | Salt-regenerated resin | Dedicated limescale cartridge, along with antimicrobial filtration |
| Price | 178 € | from €134 |
The two are not mutually exclusive. Many homes combine them: a water softener at the inlet for appliances, a filter at the tap for drinking.
Olympus water softener, €178
Olympus water softener is a mechanical resin softener, mounted on the central supply, which retains calcium and magnesium salts before the water reaches the appliances.
Parameters declared by the manufacturer:
- Maximum flow rate: 900 liters per hour
- Inlet pressure: 1 to 8 bar
- Water temperature: 4 to 25 °C
- Regeneration with coarse-grained table salt, regular salt, no chemicals
- Mixing valve for adjusting the final water hardness, depending on how soft you want it
The only consumable is table salt. The resin remains in the device and is regenerated with salt, without cartridges to replace. It works with a button with four positions: operation, salt addition, resin regeneration and washing. Regeneration takes approximately 40 minutes and is done at regular intervals, depending on consumption. Full instructions are at Instructions for use.
For additional protection of the installation, 3/4″ central feed filter, 27 €, retains sediment before the softener. All options for entering the house are at filters for central power supply.
Anti-limescale cartridge filters for drinking water
For water in the glass, Olympus antimicrobial filters are available in double and triple versions, with a dedicated cartridge for retaining limescale, along with complete filtration: chlorine, pesticides, heavy metals, asbestos, hexavalent chromium, arsenic, lead, cadmium, with antimicrobial protection that destroys up to 95% of the microbes inside the device in 2 hours.
- Double: a cartridge for limestone or nitrates, of your choice. On the counter 134 €, under the sink 174 €
- Triple: limestone and nitrates together. Under the sink 234 €, and for large families, triple GIGA with 14,000 liter cartridge, 294 €
The main cartridge lasts up to 12 months or 8,000 liters, and the first replacement cartridge is included with the purchase. How to choose and install an under-sink filter, we have described step by step in under sink water filter.
When water demands more
For very hard water, nitrates or brackish water, reverse osmosis filter retains calcium and magnesium salts through the membrane and transforms hard water into soft water, in four stages, with a dedicated tank and tap.
How do you choose?
- Are the devices the problem? Water softener at the entrance, €178.
- Is drinking water the problem? Double filter with limescale cartridge, from €134.
- Both? Water softener plus filter on the tap.
- Not sure? Choosing the right model It starts with your water.
Frequently asked questions
Does the water softener make the water safe to drink?
The softener retains calcium and magnesium salts to protect the installation and appliances. For drinking water, Olympus recommends antimicrobial filters, which retain chlorine and unwanted substances and preserve minerals. The two complement each other.
What salt does the softener use?
Sodium chloride, i.e. table salt, coarsely granulated. The manufacturer states that no other substances are used.
Can I adjust how soft the water becomes?
Yes. The softener has a mixing valve through which the final water hardness is adjusted.
Does the anti-limescale filter for drinking water retain minerals?
The anti-limescale cartridge retains excess limescale, and the Olympus antimicrobial filtration lets mineral salts and trace elements pass through.
How long does regeneration take?
Approximately 40 minutes. During this time, the water passing through the softener is not softened, so regeneration is scheduled at a convenient time.
Soft water for appliances, good water in the glass
Hard water is not a safety issue, but it is an expense that adds up every month: heating elements, detergents, appliances that tire faster. A softener at the inlet and an anti-limescale cartridge filter at the tap solves it from both ends.
See Olympus water softener and Olympus antimicrobial filters, or leave choice guide to propose your combination.
