[jms_uk]

Well, the kitchen re-fit is proceeding at a fair pace.. due to being in a hard water area, we've finally gone ahead and had a Dualflow water softener fitted with a hard water (mains) feed to the cold tap of the kitchen sink.

We've also bought a Panasonic NR-B53V1-XB american style fridge freezer which has a filtered chilled water dispenser.. so my questions are..

Soft water for drinking?
There are a number of articles about the suitability of soft water for drinking. The most consistent info I can find is that its ok if you don't suffer from high blood pressure/elderly/baby (the arrangement I have above mitigates this issue if only drinking direct from that hard water tap feed)

Given we've got the option to plumb the fridge freezer into either a hard or soft water feed (both options are equally easy to do with the new plumbing that's just gone in), and the Panny has a water filter built in.. so, can anyone give advice on which we should use?

There is absolutely nothing I can find on the net about the advantages/disadvantages of further filtering soft water..

Thanks in advance

[Cliff]

As you have already read, it is not recommended to drink softened water. Therefore always better connect the fridge to the cold main. (the pressure will be good as well!)

The filter in the fridge itself will not have much effect on the salinity and will not change the composition of the softened water. The filtering is to take out micro particles and remove any bad tastes or smells with a charcoal filter. Anything that is dissolved will pass through.

[craig1912]

Our fridge is plumbed in prior to the water softner as we use it all the time for drinking water.

[jms_uk]

Thanks for the replies guys.. played it safe and had the fridge freezer plumbed in from the hard water feed.