For nearly a century, an unchanged technology has been used to address the significant negative effects of hard water. Ion exchange is a method that works, but at a high expense, a high cost to the environment, and poor reliability. In an era where sustainability and efficiency are no longer optional choices, Aqua-Rex steps into the breach.
Hard water caused by dissolved calcium affects millions of people globally. It could be considered the single biggest challenge to households and commercial operations worldwide. As water is heated, the calcium precipitates, forming a hard scale surface that coats pipes, appliances, and heating systems. Over time, that buildup restricts water flow. It reduces heating efficiency, causes heaters to fail, and leaves unsightly deposits on surfaces and appliances. “You can’t simply wipe the scale away,” says President Jonny Seccombe. “Scale sticks and only an acid can remove it.”
For decades, salt-based softeners have been the industry’s answer. Yet the method, Seccombe notes, brings its own problems of high installation and maintenance costs, the need for constant salt refills, and the environmental impact of the discharged chlorides. “You have to keep loading these systems with salt,” he says. “You are literally dumping chloride into the environment, and there’s no way that nature has to get rid of that contamination.”
Aqua-Rex is a non-chemical, electronic alternative that treats hard water without altering its composition or producing waste. The device uses radio signals to influence how calcium precipitates in water, preventing it from sticking to surfaces. “It makes the scale form as a powder in suspension,” Seccombe says. “It’s like chalk dust that passes through the system.” The result is clean plumbing, reduced maintenance, and greater reliability.
The technology has undergone third-party verification under the IAPMO IGC 335 test protocol, which measures performance in real-world water conditions. In one independent study using Las Vegas water at 180°F, results demonstrated a reduction in scaling of 83% at 180°F. “At normal domestic water temperatures, the scaling is negligible. It’s affordable, reliable, and proven,” Seccombe says.
Besides stopping scaling, the technology is proven to soften water by stimulating precipitation in suspension, thus reducing residual dissolved calcium in the hot water. This means that soaps lather better, laundry is softer, and it is better for washing hair and kinder to the skin. In the US, the Water Quality Association now acknowledges that “these technologies may provide a measurable reduction in hardness” as a result of data provided to them on the performance of Aqua-Rex.
Still, adoption has been gradual. Seccombe attributes the slow uptake less to skepticism and more to industry opposition. “The technology works, but it challenges a long-standing business model,” he says. The huge cost savings that can be achieved with this technology inevitably hit the pockets of the traditional service providers. Yet as more communities and municipalities focus on reducing chloride discharge to allow water recycling, that resistance is beginning to shift.
Traditional ways of treating hard water meet resistance when the costs of installation and constant maintenance are evaluated. Now, with its low cost and zero maintenance requirements, Aqua-Rex eliminates that resistance and puts scale control within reach of everyone in hard water areas.
The implications go far beyond convenience. With cities exploring bans on salt-based softeners due to environmental concerns, solutions like Aqua-Rex can play an important role in helping regions recycle water and reduce emissions at a very low cost and rapid ROI.
After decades of refining the technology and establishing independent validation, Seccombe says, “To get it to the next level, we need an investor or trade buyer who can expand it into the mainstream.” The company’s proven foundation, established market footprint, and eco-conscious design make that opportunity both timely and significant.
For Seccombe, who has spent nearly four decades challenging the status quo, this is about both success and progress. “Every industry reaches a point where it has to decide whether to cling to the old or embrace something new, better, and more affordable,” he says. “Now it’s about getting people to believe change is possible and to have the courage to make it happen.”
“Billy Smith, CEO of the American Society of Plumbing Engineers, describes me as the Steve Jobs of the water treatment industry,” says Seccombe. “Let’s see where that goes!”
