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What can shorten the useful life of a water-treatment resin?

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chemical structure of cation exchanger — ion-exchange reaction Figure 1: Chemical structure of cation exchanger. The exchangeable ions are marked ⁺. The whole structure is permeated by solvent molecules, usually water (not shown).

The useful life of a water-treatment resin can be shortened by two primary factors:

Accumulation of colloidal matter: This buildup can be mitigated by using activated carbon filters.1
Oxidation: This process is caused by dissolved chlorine present in the water.1

Additionally, quaternary-base anion-exchange resins that carry hydroxyl ions may deteriorate over time, as they slowly decompose into tertiary amine polymers and methanol.1