Limescale magnets for water pipes
Ions can also be manipulated and neutralised using magnets. Ions (especially calcium) can be rendered harmless through polarisation, repolarisation and/or depolarisation. As a result, they no longer clump or stick, but float in the water and flow out of the tap without forming limescale.
Anti-limescale magnets don't change anything about the composition of drinking water; the ions are still present, but would react differently — at least according to sellers and advocates. In practice, these magnets barely work.
When the water dries, the calcium still remains on the surface and a round white ring can form. In some cases magnets can influence the form of limescale, but for most cheap limescale magnets it is virtually impossible to really do the job.
Carbon filtration or activated carbon adsorption
Activated carbon filters are carbon-based. Carbon has the property of binding various substances to itself. Activated carbon adsorption or carbon filtration uses specially treated carbon with an enormous internal surface area — the effective surface of 5 grams of activated carbon equals the size of a football pitch. This allows it to bind a large quantity of substances that may be present in tap water.
Tap water flows through a carbon block filter, or through a filter housing containing carbon particles or powder, where dissolved substances stick to the carbon. Activated carbon reduces a wide range of chemically synthesised and organic substances, including chlorine, fluorine, iodine, oils, acids, PCBs, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides, hormones and medicines. Activated carbon does not stop bacteria and viruses.
It is important to prevent algae growth and bacterial colonisation in activated carbon — this is usually done with an additional UV filter.
H2Ot uses an ultrafiltration (UF) module after the activated carbon unit to remove bacteria and viruses up to 99.99999%. UV itself doesn't remove bacteria and viruses from the water; it only damages their DNA so they can no longer multiply — so the dead bacteria and viruses still end up in the pipework, where they in turn become a food source for other bacteria.
Carbon filters are part of almost every permeation unit and every ion exchanger: permeable membranes and ion exchange resins last longer thanks to the activated carbon filters.
H2Ot doesn't just use activated carbon in its systems, but a mix of activated carbon and zeolite — a far stronger absorption material. The granulate is a natural and biological material and only needs replacing once a year, without burdening the environment. Carbon also occurs in natural form, but it is much more of a burden on the environment.