Abstract: A method for treating hard water comprising the steps of flowing water containing suspended colloidal mineral particles through a confined treatment zone, applying an electrical potential across the flowing water to cause electrical current to flow through the water, increasing the zeta potential of the suspended colloidal particles. The increased zeta potential causes the particles to repel each other, preventing aggregation and precipitation onto surfaces in contact with the water to form scale or create hard pan conditions in soil on which the water falls.