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Unlike traditional salt-based water softeners, which replace calcium and magnesium ions with sodium ions, Evodrop works without ion exchange and without salt. The natural minerals remain completely in the water.

Instead, calcium and magnesium ions are chemically complexed by malic acid. This produces stable organic complexes, in particular calcium malate and magnesium malate. These organically bound minerals are up to 100 times more water-soluble than classic calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) and are therefore no longer available for the formation of limescale deposits.

This complexation process keeps the minerals dissolved in the water, but prevents them from settling as hard limescale on pipes, fittings, or appliances. The water behaves like soft water in everyday use, even though its mineral composition remains unchanged.

Even when heated, for example in hot water systems or during cooking, the minerals remain predominantly in their organically bound form. This effectively prevents the reaction with carbonate ions that is necessary for limescale formation.

Classification of measured values

Conventional test strips or simple hardness measurements continue to indicate the original water hardness, as they only measure the total amount of dissolved mineral ions. They do not distinguish between freely available hardness components and organically complexed minerals. Accordingly, the TDS value (Total Dissolved Solids) also remains unchanged.

The decisive factor is not the measurement value obtained using cheap test strips that are only designed to react to mineral ions, but rather the chemical behavior of the minerals in the water:

The minerals are bound, highly water-soluble, and lime-inactive—there are no lime deposits without removing minerals or adding sodium.

Both descaling systems achieve a descaling rate of at least 80 % in the test in the German accredited DVGW laboratory. Evodrop achieved 100 % with a score of 1.

Conventional water softeners remove the limescale content of the water by ion exchange. In this process, positively charged ions such as calcium (Ca²⁺) and magnesium (Mg²⁺), which are responsible for water hardness, are replaced by sodium ions (Na⁺). This reduces the limescale content in the water. However, such systems do not differentiate between desirable minerals and undesirable limescale, so both are removed.

Disadvantages of a descaling system or softening system with salt:

1. Increased sodium content in drinking water: During descaling by ion exchange, sodium ions get into the drinking water, which can pose health risks for people with high blood pressure or heart problems.
2. Environmental pollution from saline wastewater: The saline and chloride-containing wastewater produced during regeneration can damage bodies of water and ecosystems, as has been proven several times in various studies.
3. High water consumption during regeneration: Regeneration of the resin requires additional water, which leads to higher water consumption and an unnecessary strain on resources.
4. Regular maintenance and costs: Salt systems require constant maintenance and the purchase of additional salt, which involves additional costs and time. If you do not have an annual service carried out, the guarantee is void.
5. Removal of valuable minerals: Ion exchange not only removes limescale, but also important minerals that are essential for health, such as calcium and magnesium.
6. Risk of contamination and legionella: Harmful contamination can occur in salt tanks if the water is not flowing or the system is not properly maintained.
7. High water consumption during regeneration: Between 80 and 150 liters of water are used per regeneration, which is an unnecessary consumption of resources, especially in regions where water is scarce.
8. Hazardous waste due to replacement resin: The replacement resin must be specially disposed of due to the chemical contamination and must not be disposed of in normal waste.
9. Change in the taste of the water: Ion exchange changes the taste of the water. This is perceived as a disadvantage by many consumers.
10. Removal of valuable minerals: During the process, not only lime is removed, but also important minerals such as calcium and magnesium, which are beneficial to health.
11. Increase in metal aggressiveness and thus risk of corrosion due to the salt.
12. Regenerating salt is denatured and, in addition to accompanying substances such as clay, iron or potassium hexacyanofferate is added as a flow aid.

The regenerating salt is not harmless, as can be seen from the supplementary sheet:

• H290- May be corrosive to metals.
• H314- May cause skin and eye burns.
• H400- Toxic to aquatic organisms.
• P102- Keep out of the reach of children.
• P315- Get medical attention immediately if consumed.

Alternative solution: EVOdescale

EVOdescale uses natural malic acid complexes in the filter cartridge. This means that only the limescale in the water is bound and retained in the cartridge. The useful minerals such as calcium and magnesium remain in the water. This represents a significant difference to conventional water softening systems. In addition, this method does not change the taste of the water and does not add any substances such as sodium.

Advantages of EVOdescale compared to salt systems

• Complete water treatment: EVOdescale treats all the water without any risk of sodium or corrosion.
• No change in taste: Malic acid is a natural product that does not affect the taste of the water.
• Lime binding instead of conversion: In contrast to systems such as magnetizers or swirlers, the limescale is actually removed from the water.
• The binding of minerals to malic acid produces magnesium malate and calcium malate.
• No magnesium citrate, no magnesium sulfate, and no magnesium oxide. It's worth Googling yourself 😉 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29679349/

Many suppliers of ion exchange water softening systems claim that their systems do not release salt into the water. This statement is chemically incomplete.

Salt consists of sodium chloride (NaCl). During the softening process, calcium and magnesium ions in the water are replaced by sodium ions. This exchange takes place via an ion exchange resin, which must be regenerated regularly with salt. This causes sodium to enter the treated water.

Ion exchange works according to the following technical principle:

• Ca²⁺ / Mg²⁺ → are removed
• Na⁺ → is introduced into the water

Softening without adding sodium is physically impossible in salt-based systems.

For this reason, in ion exchange systems, the softened water is often mixed with untreated raw water in order to limit the sodium content.

The operation of salt-based systems also produces saline regeneration wastewater. After its useful life, the ion exchange resin used is considered chemically contaminated waste and must be disposed of as hazardous waste.

In summary, it can be said that:

Water softened by ion exchange systems contains sodium, even if individual suppliers claim otherwise. The statement that "no salt is released into the water" is technically misleading. This statement could be interpreted as tongue-in-cheek or ironic.

Suppliers of water softeners often compare the addition of sodium with the salt content of a packet of chips. However, this overlooks the fact that people do not eat chips every day and that this comparison is misleading. It is similar to the argument for throwing PET bottles into lakes on the grounds that microplastics are already present there anyway.

It is important to understand that although the salt used in salt-based water softeners is originally a natural product, it is chemically processed and denatured for technical use.

Commercially available regeneration salt consists of at least 94% sodium chloride (NaCl). This salt is specifically made unfit for consumption for use in water softening systems. In addition to natural accompanying substances such as clay and calcium or magnesium sulfates, anti-caking agents are usually added to the salt, often iron or potassium hexacyanoferrate, to prevent clumping and ensure technical functionality.

Accordingly, regeneration salt is not table salt, sea salt, or Himalayan salt, but rather a technical salt that is expressly not intended for human consumption.
This is also made clear by the hazard and safety warnings required on the packaging, including:

• H412 – Harmful to aquatic life with long-lasting effects
• P102 - Keep out of the reach of children
• P315 / P101 – Get medical advice and show the label
• P410 - Protect from sunlight

These labels refer to the regeneration salt product itself and are part of the chemical classification. They indicate that this is a technical operating material used in water softening systems and that its handling and disposal are regulated.

It should also be noted that salt-based water softening systems produce salty regeneration wastewater, which enters the sewage system and can contribute to increased salt and chloride pollution. These effects have been the subject of environmental studies for many years.

Brief summary

The regeneration salt used in salt systems is not a foodstuff, but a chemically treated technical operating material with clear hazard labeling. Its use has technical side effects as well as environmental implications—a key difference from salt-free limescale protection systems such as Evodro.

Here is a study by the Ministry for an Austria worth living in:

https://info.bml.gv.at/dam/jcr:250fe6a2-18af-4b2a-99bb-a25d6ff87f3d/Chlorid%20Studie.pdf

Further reports:

• https://blog.uni-koblenz-landau.de/gewaesserversalzung-gefahr-fuer-mensch-und-umwelt/
• https://www.quarks.de/umwelt/drei-gruende-warum-du-besser-auf-streusalz-verzichtest/
• https://www.bund-sh.de/stadtnatur/winterdienst/

Results of the study "Bad water due to water softeners" by the Thurgau Cantonal Laboratory:

• In 85 % of cases, contamination by bacteria & fungi doubled, legal limits often exceeded
• High sodium content and bad taste of drinking water
• High costs: annual maintenance and salt consumption

--> Due to the health risk, chemical softening with salt is generally not recommended

You can find the report here:

Whitepaper Information report on limescale protection technologies (1)

9524 Zuzwil SG // Water hardness: 37°f

• up to 30°f: experts advise against softening with salt, limescale protection without chemicals recommended
• Above 30°f: softening with salt only in exceptional cases, experts recommend first testing limescale protection without chemicals

(Sources: SVGW, Federal Environment Agency, Cantonal Laboratory Thurgau)