TREATMENTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR PROTECTING EUROPE'S WATER QUALITY

Europe’s waters are protected by the Water Framework Directive, legislation designed to promote sustainable water use based on the long-term protection of available water resources and to help ensure access to water of the quality and quantity needed for sustainable use. But with such a strong commitment to protecting water quality – why is the use of water softeners and limescale filters, which are salt-based water treatments, still so widespread?

Are there any alternative solutions?

In Europe, around 300,000 tonnes of salt are used each year to soften hard water; 22,000 tonnes of this is used in the UK, for example. This is without even mentioning the million cubic metres of water used daily in the process that is not used. Despite this, salt-based treatments such as softeners and limescale filters are still the norm for water softening, although alternative technologies have been developed in recent years to deal with the many problems that arise from limescale formation.

Limescale is made up of calcium, magnesium and bicarbonate, and once deposits have formed, they are very difficult to break down. They affect the flow of water in pipes and form deposits on heat exchangers and moving parts such as valves. A salt-based water softener works by ion exchange; calcium and magnesium ions are replaced by sodium ions. The calcium and magnesium ions are then bound to polymer beads that are stored in the softener. In effect, the particles change places. The harder the water, the more sodium is exchanged.

While this has long been the dominant technology for reducing limescale and treating hard water, it has a significant impact on drinking water quality, with high sodium levels and the presence of metals such as lead and copper in many samples – issues that are increasingly under scrutiny and driving the industry towards alternative technologies.

It is only recently that proper scientific studies have been conducted to assess the effectiveness of alternative methods for treating hard water, and the lack of statistical support has undoubtedly slowed progress. However, the WateReuse Foundation has conducted a scientific evaluation of alternative techniques and produced long-awaited results.

One of the alternative methods in the study was Template Assisted Crystallisation (TAC), in the form of the Next ScaleStop system. It works by forming microscopic crystals in the water that prevent calcium, magnesium and bicarbonate ions from combining, preventing scale formation and eliminating the need for salt-based softening.

In all test facilities – conducted according to the German standard DVGW W512 (verification of water treatment equipment for scale reduction) – ScaleStop reduced scale formation by at least 88% and often significantly more, far outperforming other alternative systems.

Compared to other systems, the difference becomes even more pronounced. For example, electromagnetic systems and electrically induced precipitation only reduced scale formation by about 50%, leaving significant amounts of untreated lime in the water. In the same test setup, the amount of lime in TAC-treated water was so low that it was barely measurable.

Since the cost of installing and operating water treatment systems is a major consideration for companies, the study also included an analysis based on a 10-year life cycle. Including investment costs, the ScaleStop system was significantly less expensive than electrically induced precipitation, ion exchange, and capacitive deionization. The payback period is typically less than one year, and operating costs are significantly reduced after installation.

This is because the system requires minimal service. Only media change every 3 years. No backwashing that needs maintenance and daily salt refilling. No calibrations or electrical installations.

In light of these compelling results and the urgent need to improve and protect Europe's water supply, the question of introducing TAC technology, such as in Next ScaleStop, becomes increasingly obvious.

As companies strive to reduce their costs and expenses for the maintenance of heating and water systems, it is likely that we will see a clear increase in the use of TAC technology from Next Filtration.