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“Proudly Serving the Southern California Areas Since 2006“
Contact Us: 760-259-2306

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Salt-Free, Anti Scale Water Conditioners in Southern California

Get the Only Anti-Scale Water Conditioner Made in the USA with an Unbeatable EcoWater Guarantee!

Hard Water Defined

Water hardness is typically measured by its total dissolved solids (TDS). A TDS measurement below 150 indicates soft or very soft water. A TDS rating between 150-250 indicates slightly hard water and a TDS rating above 250 indicates moderately hard to hard water with 420 or more signaling very hard water.

Brine Restricted Areas

In some cities in the state of California, the use of water softeners is subject to legal restrictions due to environmental concerns. Here are three ways the state has deemed water softeners as harmful:

wireless water softener technology from ecowater
wireless water softener technology from ecowater

What Can I Do About California’s Hard Water?

Southern California has some of the hardest water in the state. Normal or medium-hard water rates 60-120 mg/L. Water in Los rates 127 mg/L. That means that every liter of Los Angeles tap water contains 127 mg of calcium or magnesium – the minerals that make water hard. These contaminants come from ground water that travels through mineral-rich soil.

Hard water can corrode your pipes and fixtures, discolor your clothing and make it difficult to bathe. The best way to combat hard water is by installing a water softener. Unfortunately, California has banned the use of traditional salt-based water softeners. Why did they do this given the state’s hard water? Let’s unpack the story and explore alternative options for safe, clean water in your home.

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“Dylan with Eco Water was very personable and amazing installing my under sink water systemSame goes for Ryan who did service on my soft water system earlier. – Gene L, A 5-Star Google Review

The Trouble with Hard Water

If you’ve seen spots on your dishes, had dry skin or crusty laundry, you’ve probably dealt with hard water. The excess mineral composition in hard water creates a number of issues for homeowners. Not only can it leave your hair or skin feeling dry and unclean, it can wreak havoc on your plumbing system or water heater. Hard water leads to corrosion. You may have noticed this in the form of stains in your sink or chalky residue on your faucet. Over time, this corrosion can clog your pipes and make them brittle. If you’re worried about damage from hard water, it’s important to have a plumber check your home’s pipes.

wireless water softener technology from ecowater
wireless water softener technology from ecowater

Does your area have Hard Water?

Water hardness is typically measured by its total dissolved solids (TDS). A TDS measurement below 150 indicates soft or very soft water. A TDS rating between 150-250 indicates slightly hard water and a TDS rating above 250 indicates moderately hard to hard water with 420 or more signaling very hard water. 

California water hardness can vary widely and averages between 100-300 TDS. 

Water hardness varies depending on the area and water source.

For example, Northeast Los Angeles reported a TDS score of 240 in 2022 while Kagel Canyon reported a TDS of 300 and Malibu reported a TDS of 334. 

All of these scores put the municipal water for the region in the slightly to moderately hard range. This means that there are enough minerals in the water to affect how it tastes and cleans. It also suggests that residents in areas with hard water will want some sort of water filtration or softening system.

Reasons why a City will ban Water Softeners

In some cities and the state of California, the use of water softeners is subject to legal restrictions due to environmental concerns. Here are three ways the state has deemed water softeners as harmful.

California’s Water Crisis

California has faced numerous water-related challenges, including droughts, dwindling water supplies, and overdrawn groundwater resources. As a result, the state has implemented stringent regulations and conservation measures to preserve its precious water resources. Because water softeners use a significant amount of water during their regeneration cycle (20-65 gallons/month) , they are considered a drain on the water supply.

Salt Discharge and Water Contamination

Water softeners operate by removing minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, from the water through a process called ion exchange. However, the discharge from water softeners contains high concentrations of salt, which can contaminate water bodies, harm aquatic ecosystems, and even seep into groundwater supplies.   The cumulative effect of salt discharge from numerous softeners across the state can exacerbate California’s water quality issues.

Impact on Wastewater Treatment Facilities

Water softeners also pose challenges for wastewater treatment facilities. The high salt content in the discharged water places an additional burden on these facilities, as they must employ costly processes to remove the excess salts. Furthermore, the concentrated brine produced during a water softener’s regeneration process can overwhelm wastewater treatment plants and affect their efficiency.

Brine Discharge Control Areas in California

In response to the above environmental concerns, California has implemented strict regulations regarding the use of water softeners. The state’s Water Quality Control Board has designated certain regions as “brine discharge control areas,” where the use of water softeners is prohibited or subject to specific requirements. Violating these regulations can result in fines and penalties.

Water Softeners vs. Water Conditioners

In a residential setting, the two most common methods of dealing with hard water are using a water softener or a water conditioner. Both of these systems function in different ways, and understanding what these differences are can help you determine which system is right for you. 

The most common alternative to a water softening system is a water conditioner. While water softeners remove the mineral ions from hard water and replace them with sodium ions through a process known as ion exchange, water conditioners alter the structure of the mineral ions. This allows the mineral ions to stay in the drinking water but eliminates the ability of those minerals to cause scaling.

Water Softeners

Water softeners have been around for a while, and most people have heard of them and used softened water at some point. Water softeners function through a process known as ion exchange, during which hard mineral ions in water are removed and replaced with sodium ions.

When water percolates through the ground it picks up positively charged mineral ions. The process of ion exchange involves attracting these mineral ions away from the water molecule and replacing them with sodium.

To do this, water softeners will typically have at least two tanks. The first tank contains a large amount of negatively charged resin beads. Attached to these resin beads are positively charged sodium ions. When hard water enters the water softener it is placed into this resin tank. As the hard water passes over the resin beads, the mineral ions are attracted to the resin beads. As these minerals attach to the resin beads in the resin tank, they displace the sodium ion which moves to join the water molecule. This allows the water molecule to maintain a balanced charge and completes the process of ion exchange.

The second tank in a water softener is referred to as the brine tank. This tank contains a salty brine solution. This solution is used to periodically refresh the resin in the brine tank. The resin is saturated with the brine solution, which displaces the minerals attached to the resin and replaces them with fresh sodium ions. Once this process is complete, the wastewater is flushed from the system and down the drain.

Some people are concerned about the level of sodium in softened water. Here are a couple of key points about sodium in softened water:

  • Softened water contains sodium (Na), not table salt (NaCl).
  • The sodium in softened water does not affect the taste.
  • The exact amount of sodium in softened water depends on how hard your water is. The process of ion exchange requires sodium to be added as hard water minerals are removed, meaning the harder your water the more sodium your softened water will contain.

For most healthy adults the amount of sodium in softened water poses little risk. However, if you are concerned about sodium in softened water it may be worth considering water softener alternatives like a water conditioner. Many people choose to install a reverse osmosis system to use in conjunction with their water softener. Reverse osmosis systems are capable of removing sodium added to softened water, as well as reducing a wide range of other contaminants.

The best salt for water softener may depend on your specific system and needs. The use of sodium chloride is more common, but some people use potassium chloride to reduce the amount of sodium in softened water. Be sure to speak with a water quality specialist familiar with your water softening system to determine the best salt for your system. Additionally, learn more with our guide to How Does Salt Soften Water.

Water Conditioners

Water conditioners are the best alternative to a water softener if you are concerned about sodium in your water. The key difference between water softeners and water conditioners is water conditioners don’t remove the minerals from hard water.

Remember, the main impact of hard is scaling. Water softeners address this problem by removing hard water minerals and replacing them with sodium ions. In contrast, water conditioners cause minerals in hard water to crystallize.

Water conditioners do this through the use of template-assisted crystallization (TAC) media. As hard water passes over TAC media, a small portion of the hard minerals crystallize. These are sometimes referred to as “seed crystals”. Once these seed crystals have formed, the remaining mineral ions contained in the hard water will preferentially attach to the seed crystal rather than any surfaces the water comes into contact with.

Although conditioned water still contains hard minerals, those minerals no longer cause scaling. This means conditioned water won’t cause mineral buildup in your pipes, in your appliances, or on surfaces throughout your home. 

Water conditioners also have a couple of other features that make them advantageous for certain situations. These features are:

    • Many water conditioners don’t require electricity, unlike water softeners.   This can make it easier to install in homes with limited access to electricity where the water line enters their home.
  • Water conditioners don’t require the use of brine, which makes them an ideal solution for areas with brine restrictions in place. This also makes it unnecessary to install a drain line from the water conditioner.

EcoProTechT: Ecowater Anti-Scale Systems

ProTechT has no backwash, which makes it ideal for Brine Restricted areas.

ProTech TCC does have backwash and takes out chlorine. This is not good for brine-restricted areas.

Anti-Scale systems protect your home wellness.  Pipes and appliances will last longer as they will not have build-up, which causes corrosion and pinhole leaks. This is an investment to maintain the value of your home!

Reverse Osmosis is sold with these anti-scale systems to protect your health! Reverse osmosis improves the taste of water by filtering out pollutants, lead, chlorine, fluoride, PFOS, and other impurities and odors. The water is free of parasites and bacteria and has a lower sodium content. Reverse osmosis systems also use minimal electricity to operate.  Great for pools and for cooking to make food taste better.

wireless water softener technology from ecowater

Get a free, no-hassle quote for a new EcoWater Conditioner properly sized, installed, and set up in your home by EcoWater SoCal

For faster answers to your questions, give us a call 760-259-2306

Made in the USA. Backed by  Excellent Warranties for equipment.

Reviews Directly from Google

Abby Pollock
Abby Pollock
21:53 07 Feb 25
Jonah was Knowledgeable and helped me schedule an... appointment and let me know all the filters that were needed to be changed.read more
Kurt Englund
Kurt Englund
22:23 06 Feb 25
Jonah was extremely helpful with my re-order of filters. It... had been a number of years and he took the time to identify the correct items.read more
don sovie
don sovie
00:16 05 Feb 25
Miguel Reyes, of ECO WAter Systems So CAl was terrific. He... was of good temperament, efficient and resolved my request for services immediately and to my complete satisfaction. HE reflects the high quality of customer service I have experienced from the company since 2017. Kind regards, Don Sovieread more
Linda S Mckinney
Linda S Mckinney
19:27 30 Jan 25
I called Eco Water to come & check our Drinking water... system at our Kitchen sink. I talked with Jonah Rivas about scheduling service and he was very Friendly & Efficient& though about arranging a day ,Time & writing an Detailed explanation for the Tech that will be coming out to service our Eco Water system problem.Thank You , Don & LindaSan Juan Capistranoread more
Dana Giardina
Dana Giardina
17:49 16 Jan 25
Alsan was very helpful and walked me through the process... for ordering replacement filters. He was great!read more
Sara Ortiz
Sara Ortiz
23:32 13 Jan 25
I called Ecowater to purchase filters and was assisted by... Tiffany G. She was extremely helpful and helped me each step of the way. Thank you for the great service.read more
Emam El-Hout
Emam El-Hout
02:59 04 Jan 25
Excellent service with great attitude. Always there... whenever you need help or support.High skills of technical support and knowledge.I highly recommend them if you are looking for a peace of mindread more
Adriana Bedoya
Adriana Bedoya
18:21 30 Dec 24
I have more than once worked with Asian Pagakis, asking for... filters and/or service, and always was and is a very pleasant experience.read more
JENNIFER BOOSE
JENNIFER BOOSE
19:03 29 Dec 24
Everyone was very nice and helpful. Kevin Johns went out... of his way to go the extra mile to make sure we were satisfied. We love our water system!read more
nancy arneson
nancy arneson
23:02 27 Dec 24
Jonah worked patiently and politely to resolve my issue.
Eber Rodriguez
Eber Rodriguez
03:47 13 Dec 24
We are very pleased with our water Softener ERR3700,... reverse osmosis system ERO385, and the alkaline EACW. After doing extensive research to find the right system for us and meeting with different companies...Luke Pelbath was very knowledgeable and answered all my questions. He was very easy to work with. We have a household with varying needs and we were very specific about what we wanted. We wanted alkaline water coming from our kitchen sink and reverse osmosis water coming from our fridge (for our kids). Luke responded to my many questions on a Saturday while we were still determining what we needed and trying to understand the process. He helped us find a way to make our requests possible and we are very grateful for that. We've had the system installed for over two weeks and since my first shower and my first glass of water you can tell the difference right away. Even my wife is pleased, no buyer's remorse over here! Luke has continued to follow up with us and make sure everything is working properly. We purchased through Costco and since our first conversation, everything from inquiry, installation, and follow up has gone very smoothly. I highly recommend EcoWater SoCal for both the product and the customer service. We are continuously surprised by the difference this system has made in our water quality. The price was higher than some of the other companies we considered but the quality of product made in the U.S. and a lifetime warrantee make it worth it.read more
Gamache Inc
Gamache Inc
23:23 06 Dec 24
Jonah was awesome on my support call!
David Stewart
David Stewart
20:10 04 Dec 24
The customer service at EchoWater SoCal is great, one of... the best experiences I have had with customer service. My customer service representative name was Jonah Rivas, he was friendly and knowledgeable of the system I had and was able to translate my limited understanding of the product to a working order for an experienced tech to understand before his visit to my location. Great work by your employee Jonah, Echo Water SoCal hopefully you are aware of how lucky you are to have him as an employee.D.S. Of San Diegoread more
Fon-nie martin Ortega
Fon-nie martin Ortega
18:11 04 Dec 24
Good customer service.
Gale Mosher
Gale Mosher
18:19 02 Dec 24
Jonah was very pleasant and helpful and guided me through... the ordering process on line.read more
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