Water contains salts of calcium, magnesium, and other chemical elements. These salts have molecules with positive and negative poles, causing them to bind to each other. This leads to the formation of lumps, or "lime clots," in the water pipes. These lime clots eventually build up along the pipes and their outlets.
Traditional water softeners have been used to solve this problem by replacing calcium salts with sodium salts, which prevents clots and lime scale in the pipes. However, these water softeners are limited by the amount of water they can treat per hour. Additionally, the addition of sodium to the water makes it unsuitable for consumption by humans, animals, and plants.