Two key environmental agencies have been taken to task for not appreciating the damage done by hard water.

Lime scale is a major factor in increased energy consumption says the Environmental Treatment Concepts (ETC), which is a member of three pivotal organisations: Green Building Council, British Water and the Environmental Industries Commission.

The ETC has pointed an accusatory finger at The Energy Savings Trust and The Carbon Trust for not recognising the negative impact of lime scale.

Although, says the ETC, The Carbon Trust does acknowledge that 1mm of lime scale will cause a near 10% increase in energy consumption as regards low temperature hot water boilers. But ETC say that there is no real guidance on both the agencies’ websites as to how to cope with the problem.

ETC claims that the agencies’ solution is to allow lime scale to develop and then use chemical agents to remove it. This they state is the wrong approach and they highlight the modern, non-chemical ways that lime scale can be prevented from forming in the first place.

They also say that the chemical de-scaling process can lead to the premature failure of sanitary-ware, water-fed equipment and appliances.

Guest Article by Neil Camp