With more than 30 years’ experience in the residential and commercial water treatment space, Mark Nelson is a Class 1 Drinking-Water Operator and a CBWA (Canadian Bottled Water Association) Certified Plant Operator. As founder and president of Nelson Water in Ottawa, Mark focuses on dealing with challenging water treatment system designs for problem water. He also heads the largest water bottling plant in the city of Ottawa with a delivery network throughout the Valley.
Studies have been conducted on the compatibility of water softeners with septic systems dating back to the 70’s. This research has demonstrated that a well maintained water softener will have no adverse effect on a septic system. In fact, a water softener can even help the septic system to work more efficiently. In this article, we will take a closer look at this relationship to dispel the perception that these two systems cannot work together.
How Does a Septic System Work?
A conventional residential septic system has three main components. They are: the septic tank, the distribution box, and the drain field. These three parts are connected together with a series of pipes that handle the wastewater and solid waste. The wastewater travels to the septic tank via the drain lines from your home. When the wastewater arrives at the tank, the solid material or “sludge” is heavier, and it sinks to the bottom. The lighter material or “scum” floats up to the top of the tank and forms a layer. At this point, the septic treatment process can begin, but the sludge and the scum are already partially decomposed. This occurs because we have bacteria that is naturally occurring in all fecal matter, and this includes human waste. As more wastewater is released from the home, the septic tank will discharge some water into the drain field. This prevents the septic tank from filling with wastewater, which can impede the entire process and lead to a more frequent need to empty the tank.
How Does a Water Softener Work?
There are a number of different types of water softeners with varying degrees of efficacy. The most tried and tested method which works reliably is the ion-exchange method. Hard water contains an elevated level of calcium and magnesium which can cause a number of problems in the home. This can lead to damaged water using appliances, spotty glassware, laundry stains, and even dry hair! An ion-exchange water softener exchanges the calcium and magnesium ions with sodium (salt) ions. To facilitate this process, the water softener has a media tank and a brine tank. The media tank holds resin media where the unwanted hard water ions stick to the surface. The brine tank holds the salt and water that is required to dissolve the sodium into a brine solution. The brine is periodically used to clean the surface of the media during a regeneration cycle which flushes away the mineral content. This is essential because the media will lose efficacy as the surface becomes more covered with calcium and magnesium ions.
How Can a Water Softener Aid a Septic System?
Many people believe that the sodium used during the water softening process will reduce the efficacy of a septic system. This myth is based upon the perceived effect that salt would have on the bacteria needed to break the waste down. The University of Wisconsin conducted studies that showed that this is not the case. In fact, the opposite is true; the researchers found that softened wastewater even increases the performance of a septic tank. Trace quantities of additional sodium can even help bacterial growth speeding up the entire process. Another consideration is that using soft water requires smaller amounts of soap, detergent, and cleaning products. This means that there are fewer of these chemicals to inhibit the performance of the septic system.
Does this Work with all Water Softeners?
The short answer is no. It’s important to use an efficient and optimized water softener if you have a septic tank installed at your home. During the regeneration process, a small volume of wastewater is produced, and this is discharged directly to your septic tank. Many people believe that this wastewater is disruptive and it will inhibit the septic process. Another key concern is that a brine discharge could even overflow the septic tank and create a backup that would affect the drain field. A recent study in 2012 commissioned by the Water Quality Research Foundation revealed that this fear is unfounded. The study showed that a brine discharge of 50 gallons from a water softener discharge cycle would produce no overflow in the drain field. In fact, the regeneration cycle discharge was found to be around the same as any other water using appliances found in an average home.
Is a High Performance Water Softener Required?
Yes, the performance of a water softener can have a dramatic impact on the efficiency of the septic system. In fact, much of the confusion surrounding this topic has been caused by the data collected from poorly operation water softeners. When a water softener is inefficient, it will produce a lot of unnecessary brine waste during the regeneration cycle. This can cause problems if you have an older septic tank that cannot handle too much brine water. The growth of bacteria could be inhibited, and this would make the entire septic process less efficient. If you have a septic tank and a water softener, it’s important to ensure that both systems are working efficiently. This is why a high performance water softener is recommended, and it must be optimized for your needs.
Where Can I Find a High Performance Water Softener?
You’re not likely to find this type of equipment at a local big box store. The types of water softeners for sale are typically low quality units that are not efficient. Look for a water softener that has Water Efficient Technology (WET), and that will work well with a septic system. A water softener with WET only requires small volumes of salt and water to work efficiently, making it a good investment. Contact your local certified water treatment specialist, and they will be able to help you find a water softener to meet your needs. A professional installation is highly recommended; the system needs to be optimized to ensure that you’re not wasting too much water. Once your new high performance water softener is installed, schedule some annual maintenance to protect your investment.