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Water softener salt problems: this article explains the effects (and potential damage or harm) of water softeners on septic systems.

Readers should be sure to see REDUCE IMPACT of SOFTENER on SEPTIC. Also see SOFTENER ADJUSTMENT & CONTROLS where we provide details about water softener setting and salt dose adjustments.

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SALT OR WATER INTO SEPTIC - Will the Water Softener Salt or Water Volume Damage the Septic System?

At HEALTH RISKS & WATER SOFTENERS we introduced possible health concerns for salt added to drinking water by a water softener. Some septic system experts assert that salt discharged into the leach field is an important factor in shortening the life of the biomat which forms below the leach field (to treat effluent as part of the sanitizing process for septic effluent).

Certainly high levels of salt can kill septic tank or drainfield bacteria.

But a normally-operating water softener is unlikely to harm the septic system.

We start by agreeing that a malfunctioning water softener may damage a septic system in two ways:

1. Water volume in Septic Fields from Water Softeners: The normal water softener backwash cycle is less than 100 gallons and is not a major source of daily water usage at a property (see "Determining Needed Septic Capacity" at "More Reading" below). If the timer or valve gets stuck in the "backwash-on" cycle (which I have seen happen), the system will run continuously and will flood the septic leach field. This is discussed in "Clogged Drain Diagnosis" referenced at "More Reading" below.
   
   
2. Salt dose of Sodium and Chloride in Groundwater from Water Softeners: Part of the water softener backwash water contains no extra salt. During an interval of backwash however, some water may be quite salty, perhaps 5,000 ppm to 10,000 ppm. If the salt dose (which is also adjustable on many water softeners) is set incorrectly high excessive salt may be discharged into the septic system where it may damage the leach field and its biomat.We encountered this condition at a property where the owner had first set the salt dose to the maximum and then set the backwash frequency to a maximum as well, when neither was needed for the level of hardness of the water.
   
   A Michigan DES study of community wastewater treatment systems (not private septic systems) reported that sodium and chloride in the soil at their discharge sites greatly exceeded federal drinking water limits. This point needs more research since it's not clear that groundwater is required to meet drinking water standards - this is a shortcoming of the Michigan article. The article continued to cite 120 m/l for sodium and 250 m/l for chloride as the maximum allowable levels in groundwater. (See "Sodium and Chloride and Water Softeners" at "More Reading".) On further research I will update this section.
   
   
3. Water softener salt at normal levels will not kill septic tank bacteria

Normally the water softener salt and chloride should not be a problem for the septic system: One of my clients is a biochemist who specializes in studying septic bacteria.

His opinion was that in a normally-working home water softener system the level of water softener-produced salt in the septic tank was so diluted by other water flowing into the tank that in his experience it never reached a level that was harmful to septic tank bacteria.

We are not sure if this same conclusion applies to bacteria in the drainfield biomat. Gayman and others have conducted research on salts in drainfield soils and their role in drainfield life.

Normally water softener water volume should not be a problem for the septic system. See REDUCE IMPACT of SOFTENER on SEPTIC and then be sure to read  SOFTENER ADJUSTMENT & CONTROLS to be sure that your water softener is operating properly.

Frequently-Asked Questions (FAQs) about water treatment equipment and their effect on septic systems

[Also please see the Q&A section at SOFTENER CLEANING & SANITIZING].

Questions & Answers regarding this article

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Technical Reviewers & References

• InspectAPedia.com^® - Daniel Friedman - Publisher & Editor.
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• Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.

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.

  DETECT HARD WATER
  DIAGNOSE WATER SOFTENER PROBLEMS
  DIAGNOSE WATER BACKUP / FLOODING
  MEASURE WATER HARDNESS
  HOW SOFTENERS WORK
  HEALTH RISKS & WATER SOFTENERS
  INSTALLATION of WATER CONDITIONERS
  SALT OR WATER INTO SEPTIC
  REDUCE IMPACT of SOFTENER on SEPTIC
  SOFTENER ADJUSTMENT & CONTROLS
    Water Softener Adjustment
    Water Softener Regeneration Cycle
    How Much Salt to Use in a Water Softener
    Float Adjustment in the Softener Brine Tank
    Brine Refill Control Valve, Water Softener
    Brine Tank Water Level too High
    Water Softener Bypass Valve
  SOFTENER CLEANING & SANITIZING
    Brine Tank Salt Crusting
    Dirt & Debris in the Brine Tank
    Sanitize a Water Softener
    Iron Removal from Water Softener
  OTHER SOFTENER METHODS
  Winterize Water Softener & Treatment Equip
  Restoring Water Softener & Treatment Equip

• North Dakota Standards for Water Softeners, North Dakota General Authority Law, Chapter 62-04-08, Water Softener Units http://www.legis.nd.gov/information/acdata/pdf/62-04-08.pdf. "The objective of this chapter is to provide a standard of quality, capacity, and performance for water softener units. Water softener performance is to be based upon referee tests procedures described in section 62-04-08-09."
• Culligan Mark 10 Water Softener 1994-1998 Installation and Operating Instructions (covering models manufactured after 1995) (1-96) 01881948.pdf available from www.culligan.com
• Water Softeners, CMHC, Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/maho/wawa/wawa_005.cfm - October 2008. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation acknowledges the contribution of Health Canada to the development of this document. For further questions regarding water treatment and water quality, contact Health Canada at watereau@hc-sc.gc.ca or call 613-957-2991 or 1-866-225-0709.
• "Commercial Water Softener Installation and Operating Instructions", IBC Filtration & Water Treatment Products (Australia) for commercial, industrial and residential application www.ibcwater.com.au (07) 3219 2233
• "Non electric water softener, Installation and Operating Instructions", IBC Filtration & Water Treatment Products (Australia), op.cit.
• "Water Softener Twin Tank Installation and Operating Instructions", IBC Filtration & Water Treatment Products (Australia), op.cit.
• Our Water Hardness Table used at 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

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.

Onsite Wastewater Disposal Books

• Onsite Wastewater Disposal, R. J. Perkins; Quoting from Amazon: This practical book, co-published with the National Environmental Health Association, describes the step-by-step procedures needed to avoid common pitfalls in septic system technology. Valuable in matching the septic system to the site-specific conditions, this useful book will help you install a reliable system in both suitable and difficult environments. Septic tank installers, planners, state and local regulators, civil and sanitary engineers, consulting engineers, architects, homeowners, academics, and land developers will find this publication valuable.
• Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems, Bennette D. Burks, Mary Margaret Minnis, Hogarth House 1994 - one of the best septic system books around, suffering a bit from small fonts and a weak index.
  
• Septic Tank/Soil-Absorption Systems: How to Operate & Maintain [ copy on file as /septic/Septic_Operation_USDA.pdf ] - , Equipment Tips, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 8271 1302, 7100 Engineering, 2300 Recreation, September 1982, web search 08/28/2010, original source: http://www.fs.fed.us/t-d/pubs/pdfimage/82711302.pdf
• Soil Percolation Tests soil perc testing guide and instructions
• Percolation Testing Manual, CNMI Division of Environmental Quality, PO Box 501304, Saipan, MP 96950
• Planting Over Septic System Component", Daniel Friedman (author/editor, InspectAPedia.com), The Innovator, Winter/Spring 2008, BCOSSA, British Columbia OnSite Sewage Association, 201-3542 Blansard St., Victoria BC V8X 1W3 Canada
• Save the Septic System - Do Not Flush These Items Down the Toilet, Daniel Friedman, InspectAPedia.com - PDF document, printable
• SEPTIC STANDARDS
• SEPTIC MAGAZINES
  
• Septic System Owner's Manual, Lloyd Kahn, Blair Allen, Julie Jones, Shelter Publications, 2000 $14.95 U.S. - easy to understand, well illustrated, one of the best practical references around on septic design basics including some advanced systems; a little short on safety and maintenance. Both new and used (low priced copies are available, and we think the authors are working on an updated edition--DF. Quoting from one of several Amazon reviews: The basics of septic systems, from underground systems and failures to what the owner can do to promote and maintain a healthy system, is revealed in an excellent guide essential for any who reside on a septic system. Rural residents receive a primer on not only the basics; but how to conduct period inspections and what to do when things go wrong. History also figures into the fine coverage.
• Test Pit Preparation for Onsite Sewage Evaluations, State of Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Portland OR, 800 452-4011. PDF document. We recommend this excellent document that offers detail about soil perc tests, deep hole tests, safety, and septic design. Readers should also see Soil Percolation Tests and for testing an existing septic system, also see Dye Tests
• Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank, Bombeck, Erma: $ 5.99; FAWCETT; MM; This septic system classic whose title helps avoid intimidating readers new to septic systems, is available new or used at very low prices. It's more entertainment than a serious "how to" book on septic systems design, maintenance, or repair. Not recommended -- DF.
  
• US EPA Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Manual Top Reference: US EPA's Design Manual for Onsite Wastewater Treatment and Disposal, 1980, available from the US EPA, the US GPO Superintendent of Documents (Pueblo CO), and from the National Small Flows Clearinghouse. Original source http://www.epa.gov/ORD/NRMRL/Pubs/625R00008/625R00008.htm
• Water Wells and Septic Systems Handbook, R. Dodge Woodson. This book is in the upper price range, but is worth the cost for serious septic installers and designers. Quoting Amazon: Each year, thousands upon thousands of Americans install water wells and septic systems on their properties. But with a maze of codes governing their use along with a host of design requirements that ensure their functionality where can someone turn for comprehensive, one-stop guidance? Enter the Water Wells and Septic Systems Handbook from McGraw-Hill.
  Written in language any property owner can understand yet detailed enough for professionals and technical students this easy-to-use volume delivers the latest techniques and code requirements for designing, building, rehabilitating, and maintaining private water wells and septic systems. Bolstered by a wealth of informative charts, tables, and illustrations, this book delivers:
  * Current construction, maintenance, and repair methods
  * New International Private Sewage Disposal Code
  * Up-to-date standards from the American Water Works Association
  
• Wells and Septic Systems, Alth, Max and Charlet, Rev. by S. Blackwell Duncan, $ 18.95; Tab Books 1992. We have found this text very useful for conventional well and septic systems design and maintenance --DF. Quoting an Amazon description:Here's all the information you need to build a well or septic system yourself - and save a lot of time, money, and frustration. S. Blackwell Duncan has thoroughly revised and updated this second edition of Wells and Septic Systems to conform to current codes and requirements. He also has expanded this national bestseller to include new material on well and septic installation, water storage and distribution, water treatment, ecological considerations, and septic systems for problem building sites.
  
• The NSFC Products List has an excellent list of design manuals/modules available from their website or by telephone 800-624-8301
• Submissions welcome. send us a suggested document link or request an exchange of website links
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