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WATER SOFTENERS - operation, maintenance, adjustment, and water softener effect on drinking water and on septic systems.
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• Water softener impact on septic systems
• Managing salt in drinking water

Water Softener suggestions for minimizing the impact on septic systems, and suggestions about salt in drinking water

Water softeners remove unwanted minerals from the water supply using one of several methods discussed here. The mineral deposits on the dripping water pipe in the photo at left are evidence of both a protracted leak and hard water. But if a water softener is improperly adjusted, or if it is not working properly, excessive salt or softener backwash discharge, if sent into the septic tank and leach fields, can damage or reduce the life of the septic system.

This document explains what "hard water" is, describes how water softeners work, and tells readers how to be sure that the salt used by most water softeners does not become a problem for people drinking the water nor a problem for the septic system. Where septic systems are already in trouble, we describe how to reduce the load on the septic system by making some changes to how the water softener is used and how its discharge is handled.

This document is part of WHAT CAN GO INTO TOILETS & DRAINS?, a guide which explains how to extend the life of the septic system by being careful about what goes into it. Citation of this article by reference to this website and brief quotation for the sole purpose of review are permitted. Use of this information at other websites, in books or pamphlets for sale is reserved to the author. Technical review by industry experts has been performed and is ongoing - reviewers welcomed and are listed at "References." This document is a chapter of Inspecting, Testing, & Maintaining Residential Septic Systems an online book on septic systems. © Copyright 2008 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use the links at page left to navigate this document or to go to Other Website Topics. Green links at left show where you are in our document & website.

WATER SOFTENERS - Water Hardness, the Need for Water Softeners, and their Effect on Septic Systems

Water "hardness" refers to the level of unwanted minerals, principally calcium and magnesium, found in your water supply. Hard water is an aesthetic issue (poor lathering, spots on dishes) and a mechanical issue (clogged pipes, expensive repairs, poor washing machine performance) but it is not a health concern. Hard water is found only in certain neighborhoods and usually only on private water supplies from a local well or wells.

"Water hardness varies throughout the United States. If you live in an area where the water is "soft," then you may never have even heard of water hardness. But, if you live in Florida, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, or Indiana, where the water is relatively hard, you may notice that it is difficult to get a lather up when washing your hands or clothes."--"Common water measurements", USGS - see "More Reading". Municipal water is required by federal law to be treated and tested for sanitation, hardness, corrosivitiy, and other features.

You may sense that water is "hard" in a building if you find that you can't get a lather in the shower when shampooing, if you find lots of spots on dishes after washing them, poor performance of a washing machine, mineral deposits on plumbing fixtures such as a mineral ring around the tip of a faucet or in a toilet bowl, and mineral clogging of the tankless coil if you make your hot water using such a device.

Minerals dissolved in "hard" water precipitate out in building plumbing pipes and fixtures where they form a hard calcium/magnesium deposit which can severely clog piping and fixtures.

The photo at left shows a cross-section of scale build-up in a building water supply pipe.

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

WATER SOFTENERS
  DETECT HARD WATER
  MEASURE WATER HARDNESS
  HOW SOFTENERS WORK
  HEALTH RISKS
  SALT OR WATER INTO SEPTIC
  REDUCE IMPACT OF SOFTENER
  SOFTENER ADJUSTMENT & CLEANING
  OTHER SOFTENER METHODS

NOTE: if you are scrolling down in reading this document on WATER SOFTENERS - Water Softeners and Septic Systems, is maintained in this separate web page. use the links at page left to navigate both this document and to continue reading in WHAT CAN GO INTO TOILETS & DRAINS? or to return to other sections of the SEPTIC SYSTEMS HOME or Plumbing Water Septic topics.

More Reading:

Biomat Formation in the Septic System Drainfield Absorption System - what leads to drain field clogging and expensive drainfield repairs
Buyer's Guide Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems Inspection & Testing - What to Do, Step by Step.
Clogged Drain Diagnosis - is the problem the septic system or the Building drain system?
What is a Septic System An Engineer's View & Septic System FAQ's
Leach Fields: how to inspect and diagnose septic drainfield failures - what causes septic field failure?
Maintenance: Ten Steps to Keeping a Septic System Working, suggestions from the U.S. EPA, edits and additions by DJF
"Common water measurements" from the USGS - http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/characteristics.html
"Hard Water Hardness Calcium Magnesium - Water Corrosion Mineral Scale", Wilkes University, http://www.water-research.net/hardness.htm
"Septic Tank/Water Softener, potential effects of water softener use on septic tank soil absorption on-site wastewater systems; the effect of home water softener waste regeneration brines on individual aerobic wastewater treatment plants," Water Quality Research Council, Water Quality Association, 477 E. Butterfield Road, Lombard IL 60148
"Source Water Protection Practices Bulletin, Managing Septic Systems to Prevent Contamination of Drinking Water", US EPA, http://www.epa.gov/safewater/protect/pdfs/septic.pdf
"Sodium and Chloride and Water Softeners", Michigan DEQ at http://www.deq.state.mi.us/documents/deq-wmd-gwp-SodiumChlorideWaterSofteners.pdf

The following references were found at http://www.caitechnologies.com/water-softeners/effects-of-water-softener-discharge-on-septic-systems.htm
"A Quantitative Analysis of the Impact of Salt on the Microorganisms in an Aerobic Wastewater Treatment System", S. Husain & C.D. Litchfield, referenced NOWRA & WQA Septic-Softener Symposium, (12/2005 NOWRA newsletter)
"To Soften Or Not To Soften", Water Quality Research Council, WaterReview Technical Brief, (1988 Vol. 3, No. 2, revised 09/1992)
"The Effect of Home Water Softener Waste Regeneration Brines on Individual Aerobic Treatment Plants", The NSF International, (07/1998)
"Effects of Water Softener Use on the Permeability of Septic Tank Seepage Fields", R.B. Corey, E.J. Tyler, and M.G. Olotu, Home Sewage Treatment, Proceedings of the Second National Home Sewage Treatment Symposium, ASAE Publication 5-77. American Society of Agricultural Engineers, St. Joseph, MI. (1977, pp. 226-235)
"Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Special Issues Fact Sheet 3", EPA 625/R-00-008, Environmental Protection Agency Fact Sheet (2000)
"The Effects of Electrolyte Concentration, Cation Adsorption Ratio, and the Septic Tank Effluent Composition on Hydraulic Properties of Natural Swelling Soil Systems", B.A. Alhajjar, University of Wisconsin-Madison (1981)
"Home Water Treatment System Discharges to On-Site Wastewater Systems", J.F. Harrison, C.F Michaud, Water Conditioning & Purification Publication, (12/2005, pp. 34-39)

Our Water Hardness Table originated with but was edited and added to from http://www.bestfish.com/tips/110598.html and also from http://www.water-research.net/hardness.htm

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

WHAT CAN GO INTO TOILETS & DRAINS?
NEVER FLUSH INTO SEPTICS
BETTER NOT TO FLUSH
HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS
OTHER CHEMICALS
CHLORINE IN DRINKING WATER
CHLORINE IN SEPTIC WASTEWATER
DISHWASHERS vs SEPTICS
DRUGS INTO the SEPTIC TANK?
GARBAGE GRINDERS vs SEPTICS
TOILET TISSUE?
WASHING MACHINES
WATER SOFTENERS
  DETECT HARD WATER
  MEASURE WATER HARDNESS
  HOW SOFTENERS WORK
  HEALTH RISKS
  SALT OR WATER INTO SEPTIC
  REDUCE IMPACT OF SOFTENER
  SOFTENER ADJUSTMENT & CLEANING
  OTHER SOFTENER METHODS
WATER TESTING
WATER TESTING ADVICE

More expert information on this topic

More Information on Septic System Diagnosis, Maintenance, & Repair

• The Septic System Information Website home page for this topic
• Septic Systems Inspection, Testing, & Maintenance- online textbook. Detailed how to inspect, maintain, repair information
• The Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems


• Cesspools Home Buyer's or Owner's Advice
• Drywells Home Buyer's or Owner's Advice
• Septic Tank Pumping Guide: When, Why, How to pump the septic tank
• Tank Location - How to Find the Septic Tank, how deep will the cover be, how to document its location


• Additives & Chemicals: Septic System Maintenance - Are they even needed? Are they even legal?
• Biomat Formation in the Septic System Drainfield Absorption System - what leads to drain field clogging and expensive drainfield repairs
• Buyer's Guide Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems Inspection & Testing - What to Do, Step by Step.
• Cheating on Water Tests - (Chlorine in Wells and Septics) Testing Water for Real Estate Transactions - Water Test Cheating Warnings for Home Buyers and Home Inspectors
• Clogged Drain Diagnosis - is the problem the septic system or the Building drain system?
• What is a Septic System An Engineer's View & Septic System FAQ's
• Contamination in Buildings how to test buildings for bacterial contamination from Sewage and Septic backup, remediation, & references
• Leach Field Inspection ProcedureSeptic Leach Fields - how to inspect and diagnose septic drainfield failures - what causes septic field failure?
• Maintenance: Ten Steps to Keeping a Septic System Working, suggestions from the U.S. EPA, edits and additions by DJF
• Sewage & Septic Backups and what to do about sewage spillage in buildings
• Tank Location - How to Find the Septic Tank, how deep will the cover be, how to document its location
• Tank Pumping Frequency Guide for Septic Tanks: When, How, What to Watch For when pumping or cleaning septic tanks
• Water Usage: Capacity: Determining Needed Septic Capacity - Typical residential water usage for people, appliances, and activities.

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