THE MP for Meon Valley has paid a visit to a company that employs innovative technology to eliminate limescale in hot water systems.

Flick Drummond toured Environmental Treatment Concepts Ltd based at North Park Business Centre in Knowle with chief executive John Thompson and operations manager Mike Smyth.

The former Royal Navy engineers gave a presentation about their award-winning patented Scalewatcher-ENiGMA electronic descaler.

It works by wrapping a signal cable around the outside of a pipe to form a complex modulating frequency that dissolves the existing limescale inside it.

The technology is also used in cooling systems, refrigeration, humidification systems, swimming pools and ships.

Clients include the Gherkin Tower and St Thomas’ Hospital in London, the Royal Navy’s Type-45 destroyers, domestic homes, hotels and Southern Water.

The company, which employs eight people, also works closely with the Universities of Portsmouth and Southampton.

Reducing limescale means that heating systems are far more economical and costs are reduced.

Ms Drummond said: “This was an informative visit to a cutting-edge company right in the heart of my constituency and I was hugely impressed by this product.

“It can save substantial amounts of money on both domestic and commercial heating systems as well as being environmentally friendly and avoiding the use of water softeners.

“It’s great to see local inventors with a product that is in some of our landmark buildings such as the Gherkin in London.”

Ms Drummond added: “I was so impressed I will be asking the heating engineers in Parliament to have a look at this technology to see if it’s possible to install it during the refurbishment of the Palace of Westminster.”