Over time, the resin beads in the water softener will become covered with calcium and magnesium ions, diminishing their capacity to soften hard water. Through a process called regeneration, water is automatically flushed through the water softener with a concentrated amount of regenerant. Now the resin beads pick up the soft ions from the regenerant in exchange for the hardness on the beads.
Resin options include water softening and Iron and Manganese reduction but must be specified based on raw water analysis