Mineral / ion
Potassium
Usually a minor constituent of fresh water, since it is readily taken up by plants and clay minerals.
Key facts
- Chemical form
- K⁺
- Typical range
- Typically 1–5 mg/l in public supply.
Where it comes from
Weathering of feldspars and micas. Agricultural potash fertiliser is a secondary source.
Typical concentrations
Typically 1–5 mg/l in public supply.
What it does
- Little effect on taste at typical concentrations
- Potassium chloride is used as an alternative regenerant in water softeners for those avoiding sodium
Removal
Removed by reverse osmosis, distillation and deionisation.
Related intelligence
Sources
- World Health Organization — Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality. Public but restricted · CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO
- British Geological Survey — Groundwater levels, aquifer mapping and baseline chemistry. Open — attribution required · Open Government Licence v3.0
- National Center for Biotechnology Information — PubChem chemical database. Open · US Government work — public domain