WHY IONIZE?
You want two things from an ionizer: clean and healthy water. To understand the techno-logical advancements you'll find in the Athena, which create its outstanding performance, you should read the basics of how an ionizer works. Other considerations in performance are durability, or how long the unit will perform, and functionality.

Research states that the ideal level for drinking alkaline water is between pH8.5 - pH9.5 with an ORP of -250mv. It is unimportant if an ionizer creates big -ORP numbers at really high levels of pH. For most people, water over a pH10 begins to acquire an unpleasant taste due to the heavy concentration of minerals. What is important is drinking water at the mildly alkaline levels of pH8.5 - pH9.5 with good -ORP. Of course the Athena will create the big - ORP numbers at the higher pH ranges, but it is designed to give you the best ORP at the lower levels of pH - the levels that you will actually enjoy drinking. That's where the bang for your buck really is.

PERFORMANCE
The Athena is the proven leader in performance results in independent EPA certified testing. You want two things primarily from an ionizer: clean and healthy water. To understand the technological advancements you'll find in the Athena which create its outstanding performance, you should understand the basics of how an ionizer works. Secondary considerations in performance are durability or how long will the unit perform, and functionality.

FILTRATION
The Athena is the only Emco Tech ionizer that offers on-board dual filtration capability. It cleans your water to be 99.9% contaminant free, if using potable water source. The Athena incorporates a pre-filter and the revolutionary Biostone Filtration system.

Biostone Filtration System The Athena comes standard with a .1 micron Biostone filter, and is available in a .01 micron upgrade which filters all viral and bacterial contaminants. The upgrade is recommended for those on untreated water sources such as wells. Both filter options clean the water extremely well - yet allow the naturally occurring mineral content to pass through, which is essential for the ionizing process. You get clean and healthy water!

The new patented Emco Tech Mesh Diode Electrode technology allows for its compact size. Do not be fooled by those manufacturers who claim that a large plate size is the key to ionization. It generally indicates less advanced and sophisticated technology. Click here to read about the Emco Tech Electrode Advantage in the Athena.

Research shows that the ideal level for drinking alkaline water is between pH8.5 - pH9.5 with an ORP of -250mv. It is unimportant if an ionizer creates big -ORP numbers at really high levels of pH. Water over a pH10 begins to acquire an unpleasant taste due to the heavy concentration of minerals. What is important is drinking water at the ideal alkaline levels of pH8.5 - pH9.5 with good -ORP.

Of course the Athena will create the big -ORP numbers at the higher pH ranges, but it is designed to give you the best ORP at the lower levels of pH. The levels that you will actually enjoy drinking.

DURABILITY
An ionizer is an investment. You will want your investment to last. The electrodes are the crucial component in your ionizer. All other units on the market clean by a simple reverse polarity - which still allows some scale buildup. The Athena offers the patented new DARC (Double Automatic Reverse Cleaning) system. This new system will completely eliminate the mineral scaling from on the electrodes ensuring you will have many long years of healthy water. With other ionizers, you have to wait during a reverse polarity cleanse to use the ionizer. The DARC system cleans as you ionize - so you never have to wait for a cleaning cycle to complete. You never have to give cleaning a thought! Click Understanding Ionizer Cleaning Cycles to read and understand more on this revolutionary System.

You will also want your ionizer company to be around to take care of your needs many years after you make the purchase. This point cannot be emphasized enough; in the last three years alone approximately 8 manufacturers have come and gone in the market place. With IonWays and Emco Tech you buy with absolute certainty that your company will be around to support you - long after some of the other companies have left you high and dry. Their combined 25+ years of experience and track record is unmatched. Period.

MORE INSTALLATION OPTIONS AND FUNCTIONALITY
The Athena offers a flow control valve that allows you to fine tune the performance and gives you true functional control of the water pressure through your ionizer. There are no gimmicks or additional circuitry, just the time tested advantages of true flow control. The flow control also provides for the possibility of alternate installation options.

The Athena is one of the only ionizers that can be installed three different ways:

1. At your sink with a diverter from the tap,
2. At your sink plumbed directly to your cold water line. There is no diverter and you can operate the Athena while running the hot water out of your tap.
3. Undersink completely out of sight with a small dedicated faucet (optional undersink kit required) .

Performance Features

• Cutting edge Electrode Design
  Five advanced mesh platinum-titanium electrodes ~ backed by Emco Tech's R&D and 25+ year reputation.
• DARC Cleaning
  Completely eliminate mineral scaling from the ever important electrodes - increasing the life of your ionizer. It also means you never have to wait for a cleaning cycle to complete to get a drink.
• Biostone
  The performance of functionality of dual filtration including the revolutionary 9-stage filtration Biostone filtration system.
• Emco Tech MICOM electronics
  The MICOM control system optimizes the pH and ORP of your water and helps keeps your ionizer in top working condition. A new indicator light alerts you if service is needed on your ionizer.
• Flow Control
  The Athena has a flow control valve that allows you to fine tune the performance and gives you true functional control of the water pressure through your ionizer. There are no gimmicks or additional circuitry, just the time tested advantages of true flow control.
• LCD Flow Rate Indicator
  This beautiful Liquid Crystal Displays flickers faster or slower to indicate the rate of water flow through your Athena.
• Calcium Port
  This allows you to add extra calcium to your ionizer. It is important to note that the Athena is a very strong ionizing unit and will not require the use of extra calcium in most areas of the country. Some areas however have soft water or water that is low in naturally occurring calcium and other dissolved minerals. Find out more Click Here . This feature is intended to boost ionization performance in those areas when necessary.

Protective Features

* Low Pressure Alarm
Not enough water flow can damage any ionizer. Emco Tech has built in an LCD alarm that will illuminate when there is not enough water pressure into your Athena to operate it safely. This feature safe guards the water cell and protects your investment.
* Temperature Shut Down
The Athena employs a thermal switch in the water cell to shut down the ionization process if the temperature in the cell gets too hot. This small but valuable feature gives you peace of mind.
* Electrical Protection
The Athena has a glass tube fuse that will protect the expensive circuitry in case of power fluctuations or surge.
* Hot Water Alarm
Hot water can damage your filters. This LCD alarm will illuminate when you do not have sufficient water pressure into your Athena to safe guard it against damage.

Convenient User Friendly Features

* Voice Confirmation
This feature audibly tells you what type of water you have selected each time you use the ionizer. This feature is fully adjustable allowing you to turn the volume up, down, or completely off.
* Alkaline and Acidic level indicators
The Athena has an LCD indicator which will numerically display the level of ionization you have selected. It also has LCD icons that display the most typical use for a given setting.
* Dual FND Filter Life Indicator
The Athena offers you a way to track the filter life in each of the two filters. It counts actual filter use - it is not a timer like on less expensive models.
* Change Filter Reminder
An LCD display will flash on the control panel as extra insurance that you know when to change each filter.

Functional Features

* Methods of Installation
The Athena provides you with the right installation option. It can be installed at your sink with a diverter from the tap, plumbed directly to your cold water line or undersink (optional undersink kit required).
* pH test kit
Contains test tubes, reagent liquid and a pH color chart to help you understand the ionizer's performance and so that you can be sure you are drinking the right level of pH.
* Installation DVD
The Athena comes with a short but very informative DVD showing you everything you will need to know to install, optimize and maintain the performance of your ionizer.
* Fantastic Owners Manual
This beautiful manual was written by the folks at IonWays - it is a fantastic tool.
* Installation kit
Comes with everything you will need to perform a standard installation. Unique or custom installations may require extra parts and or adapters.