Water softener technology. Fitting a water softener is the easiest and most convenient way to eliminate hard water. A water softener works by removing the calcium and magnesium from the water. It does this by passing the hard water through a cylinder containing an ion exchange resin in the form of millions of tiny beads. The resin attracts and exchanges the hardness minerals in the water. The resin is automatically cleaned or 'regenerated' by rinsing a small amount of brine (salt water) through the cylinder. The used brine, containing accumulated hardness does not enter the water system - it is flushed harmlessly away. Refreshed by the regeneration, the resin is again ready to remove hardness minerals. All that is required is to occasionally add salt to allow the resin to regenerate.