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.
An ion-exchange water softener uses a sodium or potassium-based special salt to facilitate the process. The salt is added to the surface of the resin media beads in the water tank in a brine solution from the brine tank. The dissolved mineral ions are attracted to the salt ions and they exchange places. This makes the water softer as it leaves the media tank. The regeneration cycle then cleans the resin and coats it with fresh salt ions to continue the process. This process takes place on a minute scale and most people cannot detect the presence of salt in their water after softening. If your water does taste salty, this is a sure sign that something is wrong.
3 Potential Causes of Salty Water Softener Water
If you can detect a strong salty taste in your water after the regeneration process, there are three possible causes to investigate:
1. The Drain Line Has Failed
Every water softener system has a drain line that connects the control valve to the drain. During the regeneration cycle, there are multiple releases of water that are pushed into the drain line and then out to the drain. So, the drain line must be clear and able to discharge the wastewater, or the regeneration will not work properly. One potential problem associated with a drain line failure is that some salty water can get into the plumbing system. This extra salt is the cause of the salty tasting water after each regeneration cycle. There are three reasons why the drain line is not working as intended:
The Drain Line is Pinched or Kinked
This is very common when a low quality soft material has been used to make the drain line. These less expensive drain lines are typically made with rubber or clear vinyl. Where these drain lines turn tight corners or drape over a beam, they are prone to collapse. This restricts the drain line flow, and the regeneration cycle is less effective.
The Drain Line is Too Long
This problem is usually noticed shortly after a new water softener installation. It can also be a problem if the water pressure has lowered, which makes the drain line less effective. Why? Well, the water softener doesn’t pump water into the drain; it’s the line pressure that pushes water into the drain. If the drain line is too long or it moves vertically for long stretches, this will prevent the home water pressure from pushing the water into the drain. The drain may flow, but it will flow slowly, and that will affect the water softener performance. Switching to a shorter drain line or draining to a closer location is the best way to fix this problem.
The Drain Line is Frozen
In certain climates, a water softener discharging into a drain line and then directly outdoors is normal. But, if the end of the drain line becomes frozen, the line is blocked, and this degrades the regeneration cycle effectiveness. If your drain line is exposed, it’s a good idea to protect it and insulate it against cold weather.
2. The Injector is Clogged
During the regeneration cycle, the water softener draws brine solution from the brine tank to facilitate the ion-exchange. To do this, a vacuum is created in the control valve with the venturi mechanism, and a key component is the injector. An injector is a plastic cone-shaped part that has a small hole at one end. If this hole is clogged with dirt and debris, the vacuum cannot be created, and the brine solution will not be sucked into the media tank. If the hole is partially open, this will create a partial vacuum, the brine draw rate will be slow, and salt may enter the softener after regeneration. Some softener systems have a screen to protect the injector, but this can be clogged with debris too. The location of the injector is detailed in the owner’s manual for your water softener. It can be removed and cleaned to ensure that the hole at the end is clean and clear. If you’re not confident, contact your local water treatment specialist, and they will check it for you.
3. The Water Pressure is Too Low
If you have low water pressure problems in your home, it’s likely that your plumbing system will struggle to push the brine through the softener and into the drain. A certain flow rate is required, or the regeneration will not work as intended. Brine solution could
be left in the media tank after the regeneration cycle has completed, and this makes the water taste salty. Proper softener functioning needs at least 30 psi (pounds per square inch) of water pressure for the full duration of the regeneration cycle.
Some water systems have a pressure tank that has an on or off pressure set at 30/50 or 40/60 psi. But, if that pressure tank volume is depleted, the water pressure in the line will be determined by the pump. If your system uses an undersized pump, this can cause the water pressure to drop under 30 psi, and the regeneration doesn’t work properly. If you think that this is the source of the problem, run the water until the pump starts working, and then check the incoming pressure gauge.
Another potential problem is water using appliances that may sit between the pump and pressure tank and the water softener. There may be sufficient water pressure at the pump and tank, but it can be depleted quickly if other appliances are running. A prime example would be a cartridge sediment filter placed before the water softener. The cartridge filters exert increasing pressure loss, but this is gradual, and many homeowners don’t notice the difference. Consider adding some bypass functionality to go around the appliances when the water softener regeneration cycle is running.
If you want to schedule some essential maintenance for your water softener system, contact your local water treatment specialist today.