Where To Drain Water Softener Discharge

Brine from water softener regeneration.

Where to drain water softener discharge.

The most common types of water softeners use an ion exchange process to remove magnesium and calcium that cause water hardness and to remove iron and manganese from drinking water. Potassium chloride may be an acceptable alternative to normal salt or sodium chloride for problem areas. Contrary to what some people say water softener backwash poses a problem not only to septic tanks and drainfields but also to advanced treatment systems. The partially treated water has high organic content and can accelerate the maturing of the biomat.

When the water softener resin is backwashed two or three times a week concentrated brine enters the wastewater stream as a slug of 38 to 112 gallons each backwash cycle. From multiple tank systems generated through the energy of moving water to a more conventional method various water softener discharge options cover all your alternatives. By code water softeners must be emptied into a laundry sink floor drain sump hole or properly trapped special outlet preserving an air gap of at. This is to prevent non potable water from flowing backwards possibly mixing and contaminating potable drinking water.

According to most plumbing codes a water softener drain line must not be connected directly to the household waste system. This guidance is intended for residential uses with water softener backwash discharges. Make sure the discharge line is properly air gapped to prevent cross contamination. This causes two problems.

Use a separate drywell or floor drain to receive water softener backwash. A laundry sink or any other sink can serve satisfactorily as an emptying place for the drain line but it s always best to discharge to the sewer whenever possible. And the process by which water softeners regenerate also wastes a considerable amount of water. Tank faucet or malfunctioning water softener etc.

The good news is that there are water experts that will work with you to pick the water softener that is appropriate for you. A water softener can also cause increased sodium levels in drinking water and the automatic recharge cycle in a water softener causes sodium to be sent into the environment via the sewer system.