Boiling can remove some salts, such as Ca and Mg if they are associated with HCO3. Other salt can possibly be removed by distillation. For cleaning larger volumes, other methods are more common. Reverse osmosis is one method. Ion exchange another. For very pure water, ion exchangers with H+ and OH- are used. The salts are then replaced with water. Such ion exchangers are often disposable and cannot be regenerated. To remove Ca and Mg, one can use an ion exchanger with salt, NaCl. The salt does not cause major problems with scale, and the ion exchanger can be regenerated with NaCl.
It depends on your needs: high flowrate? large volumes? how low you want to go with the removal, etc
With ion exchange resins (mix of anionic and cationic resins) it could work (no water to the drain but need to have enough resin to do the job you want: ? % of removal) or RO membranes (more than 95% salt removal but 50-60% water to the drain); both ways need some protection before (activated carbon and filtration at least).
This is a good summary from OpenAI. Hope it helps!
"Removing salts from well water typically involves a process known as desalination. There are several methods you can consider, depending on the specific salt content and your requirements. Here are a few common approaches:
Reverse Osmosis (RO): Reverse osmosis is a widely used desalination method. It involves passing water through a semipermeable membrane that allows water molecules to pass through while blocking the majority of salt and other impurities. RO systems are effective in removing a wide range of salts and are commonly used for residential and commercial water treatment.
Distillation: Distillation involves heating the water to create steam, which is then condensed back into liquid form, leaving behind most of the salts and impurities. Distillation can be effective in removing salts, but it tends to be more energy-intensive compared to other methods.
Electrodialysis: Electrodialysis uses an electric current and a series of ion-exchange membranes to remove salts from water. The process involves separating the water into two streams, one with a higher salt concentration and the other with a lower concentration. Electrodialysis is commonly used in industrial applications.
Ion Exchange: Ion exchange involves exchanging undesirable ions, such as sodium or calcium, with more desirable ions, such as hydrogen or potassium. This method uses a resin bed that attracts and retains the unwanted ions, effectively reducing the salt content of the water. Ion exchange systems are commonly used for water softening but may not be as effective for high levels of salt removal.
It's worth noting that the choice of method depends on various factors, including the specific salts present, the volume of water, and your budget. Consulting with a water treatment professional or an environmental engineer would be beneficial to assess your situation and determine the most suitable approach for your well water."