About Cascadian Water

Introducing Cascadian's ICS:

Revolutionizing Water Treatment with Salt-Free, Eco-Friendly Solutions.

More than 30 years ago, Gabe Ergler founded Cascadian Water with a clear mission: to improve lives by providing access to better water. This passion was ignited by a profound experience early in his career. Witnessing the transformative joy of someone experiencing clean, healthy water for the first time fueled his desire to help others. Today Cascadian is laser focused on brining "The closest thing to a mountain spring in your home tap".


The Cascadian Difference: Solving Water Problems the Right Way

At Cascadian, we believe in resolving water quality problems with products designed and proven to effectively address specific problems. This means we are able to produce products that perform as described. This customer-centric approach aligns with our deep respect for the environment. We believe in sustainable practices that protect our planet's precious water resources. All our products are NSF certified, meeting the highest standards for safety and environmental responsibility. 

Introducing ICS: Simple, Effective, and Sustainable Water Treatment

For many years, Cascadian built and sold some of the very best salt softeners, backwash filters, ozone systems, seawater reverse osmosis systems and more. Around 2008, we decided to find a way to make water treatment even better. We asked our customers--distributors, plumbers, and prospective customers--how we could improve. We used the feedback from our customers, studied existing technologies, and considered our in-house processes and techniques to develop our industry-changing Integrated Cartridge Solutions.

To address customer challenges head-on, Cascadian developed its innovative Integrated Cartridge Solutions (ICS) line of water softeners and filters. By utilizing a unique cartridge-based system and salt-free technology, ICS overcomes the limitations of conventional systems, providing a more efficient, convenient, and environmentally friendly approach to water treatment.

Here are some of the problems customers had with existing water treatment options:
  • Too big - no place to install it.
  • Too much effort to maintain - don’t want to deal with salt.
  • Unreliable operation - electronics failing, parts breaking etc.
  • Too much waste - water and salt.
  • No place for waste water to go - no drain or an onsite septic that can’t handle the volumes of waste water.
  • No power at treatment location.
  • Ineffective and inefficient - systems do not fix the water problem or perform as promised.
  • Not good for the environment.
  • Can’t have added salt in their diet.
  • Salt softened water kills their lawn, plants and gardens.
  • Too expensive to buy, ship, install and maintain.

Benefits of ICS: Experience the Advantages

Our ICS line truly shines because it consists of a variety of cartridges, each expertly designed to perform specific water treatment tasks. Depending on the water problem, different cartridges are combined to tackle those problems. This means customers get the treatment they need to produce excellent water without having to pay for anything they don’t need.

Consider these "simple" advantages compared to salt-based softeners and backwashing filters:
  • No moving parts, meaning nothing to wear out or adjust, resulting in completely silent operation.
  • No power required; there are no electronics to program or worry about failing.
  • No drain required, eliminating wasted water and preventing salt discharge into the environment.
  • Easy Maintenance: ICS only requires 15 minutes of maintenance once a year. There's no salt to buy, transport, store, use, or clean up after.
  • Flexible Installation: ICS units don't take up floor space and can be located anywhere, even hung on a wall.

PolyHalt®: The Heart of Our Salt-Free Innovation

ICS systems are typically less than half the size of standard salt softeners and backwashing filters because they use a completely different (and natural) method, eliminating the need for bulky salt tanks and ion exchange processes. Our units are so compact that they can easily be hung on a wall, neatly out of the way.

This compact design is made possible by our cornerstone product, PolyHalt®. This product is based on a time-tested formula used by municipalities for over a century to protect water distribution lines from hard water scale. We've taken this proven technology and refined it for residential and commercial use, transforming it from a liquid to a semi-solid form. This allows PolyHalt® to automatically adjust to varying flow rates and water conditions, ensuring optimal performance and eliminating the need for bulky salt tanks. This semi-solid form, along with the Ion Bond™ process, allows for precise dosing and effortless maintenance, making PolyHalt® a truly innovative solution for soft water. We also got it certified safe for drinking water by NSF. The result? Naturally soft water, without the need for salt or complicated equipment.

This spirit of innovation is also exemplified by our cornerstone product, the PolyHalt® salt-free Ion Bond™ water softener. This innovative solution addresses many concerns we've heard from our customers over the years. It eliminates that slippery feeling often associated with softened water, minimizes environmental impact, and provides a turnkey solution that simplifies water treatment. The PolyHalt® salt-free Ion Bond™ water softeners have earned a reputation as one of the most respected solutions in the industry, a testament to our commitment to customer-focused innovation.


Commitment to Customers: Your Water Needs Are Our Priority

Our commitment to open communication has been instrumental in shaping our products and services. We don’t just develop ideas in isolation; we actively engage with our customers, valuing their insights and feedback. This open-minded approach to better water has led to some new developments along the way…

Our open-facing team embodies our customer-centric philosophy. This collaborative approach extends to our network of dealers and distributors. We view them as partners who share our commitment to providing exceptional customer experiences. By working closely with them, we can ensure that every customer receives personalized support and service tailored to their unique needs.

Our dedication to customer satisfaction extends beyond those who already use our products. We understand that many people rely on systems from other manufacturers, and we're committed to helping them as well. We recognize that some competitors offer expensive replacement parts, and we believe in providing more affordable alternatives without compromising quality.

Driven by our customer-first philosophy, we've developed high-quality replacement filter cartridges compatible with our competitors' housings. We also offer high-quality filter housings to replace those sold by our competitors. These housings offer the same level of performance and durability but at a significantly lower cost, providing customers with greater value and choice. Our commitment to customer service goes beyond promoting our brand; it's about ensuring that everyone has access to clean, safe water, regardless of the system they use.
Cascadian and the Environment: Protecting Our Planet Together
Our commitment to sustainability is reflected in our ambitious goal to conserve 250 million gallons of fresh water and reduce salt discharge by 24 million pounds annually by 2025. To put that in perspective, the waste-water alone is the equivalent to 400 Olympic-sized swimming pools. To achieve this, we are committed to converting new water softener customers to our PolyHalt® softeners and upgrading old salt-based softener systems to PolyHalt®.


Common Water Problems Solved by ICS

Our reputation for exceptional products and service, initially built through word-of-mouth referrals, has extended our reach beyond the Pacific Northwest. Now serving the Southwestern U.S. and expanding into new regions, we remain dedicated to providing the same high level of customer service and environmentally friendly solutions across the country. Whether you're experiencing issues with hard water, chlorine taste and odor, sediment, or other common water problems, in city or well water, we are here to help.

Here are some of the more common issues ICS systems solve for our customers:
  • Hard water
  • Chlorine Taste and Odor
  • Sediment
  • Silica
  • Iron
  • Manganese
  • Hydrogen Sulfide (rotten egg odor)
Our innovative ICS systems, such as a compact ICS-STP, wall-mounted unit combining a sediment filter, chlorine filter, and water softener, exemplify our commitment to eco-friendly solutions. These systems provide year-round whole-home or business water treatment without salt, electricity, or wastewater, demonstrating that effective water treatment can be both convenient and environmentally responsible. This is the Cascadian solution that has earned us the trust and recommendations of countless satisfied customers. Imagine a sediment filter, chlorine filter, and water softener that hangs on your wall, treats water for the whole home or business for an entire year – but is smaller than a carry-on suitcase, doesn’t use salt or electricity, and doesn’t create waste-water. That’s what we call eco-friendly. And that is the Cascadian solution people have been talking about.
Take our Filter Finder Quiz - Excellent choice if you are familiar with the water to be treated.