Plumbing Doctor, a family-owned company established 20 years ago in Davis, has introduced a new “green” product designed as an alternative to water softeners.

In 2009, the state Legislature passed a bill allowing local governments to ban the use of salt-based water softeners. Since then, nearly 25 jurisdictions have approved such bans, and an awareness is growing of the environmental impacts of water softeners.

Water softeners waste water every time they regenerate, a Plumbing Doctor news release said. Some units use up to 100 gallons of water per regeneration and they regenerate at least once a month.

“But the bigger concern is that water softeners release salt into the water table, which can damage crops and waterways,” the news release said. “The environmental impacts are so large that the state of California started imposing fines on cities that release too much salt into the environment.”

After learning about the bill, Michael Farias, president and founder of Plumbing Doctor, began researching the impacts of water softeners and decided to remove his from his home in Davis. But as a plumber, he knew about the costly effects of hard water, so he began searching for a green alternative to the water softener.

He spent months researching products and meeting with companies that claimed to have a viable solution. He tried many products on his home and at the Plumbing Doctor office and warehouse. Finally, after nearly a year of searching, Farias found Water Shield, which was developed in Europe more than 20 years ago to address limescale problems. The product works by sending a low-voltage, high-frequency electrically charged impulse into the water, effectively preventing scale from adhering to pipes, faucets, fixtures and surfaces.

“Water Shield doesn’t put anything into your water or remove anything from it, so it is healthier than a water softener, and it is a totally green product,” the news release said.

Because of the demand for a green alternative to water softeners, Plumbing Doctor began offering Water Shield to its customers. The company also stays abreast of current innovations in other plumbing products, such as solar water heaters, tankless water heaters and trenchless sewers.

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Jorge Medina checks equipment on a water filtration system at the Plumbing Doctor offices in Dixon. The company tests all equipment at its office before installing it in customers’ homes. Sue Cockrell/Enterprise photo

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