Calcium deposits coming from faucet. What can I do to fix this problem?

I have chunks of off-white deposits coming out of my faucet. I have emptied the faucet filter twice in the last month in the bathroom farthest from the main water pipe because of the acualtion of the deposits. I believe that it is calcium due to the hard water content of the area I live in (Southern Nevada). The house is only 10 yrs old but then again so is our water heater. Is it because it has acualted in the water heater and is now starting to break free? Is it possible that it is building up in the pipes? Other than replacement of the water heater is there an easy/cheap way to fix this? Can ingesting the water be harmful because of the deposits?