Water softener waste line

[tomd999]

Hi,

Any issues putting the waste line from the water softener system into the septic system?

Tom

 

[MossRoad]

Hi,

Any issues putting the waste line from the water softener system into the septic system?

Tom

I have never heard of any problems. Ours goes there. Your shower, sink and toilet go there. The real problems come from washing machine lint and kitchen grease. That tends to plug up leach fields eventually.

 

[Tig]

It is not ideal, because salt (like soap and grease) is not good for the bacteria that makes the septic work. On the other hand, options range from limited to nil.
A dry well (pit) may be legal. You'll have to check local regulations.
In my last place I discharged into the sump pump hole, which in turn was pumped out into the ditch. Before I moved I re-plumbed it into a recently discontinued dry well.

 

[beenthere]

I've been told that the bacteria working n the septic take a 24 hit everytime the softener dumps/recycles. I dump mine in a rock bed outside.
When I built 40+ years ago, the state rules were that everything in the house had to go out through the septic. Even garage drains, washer, and all gray water. That isn't true anymore.

 

[MoKelly]

Here (St. Louis area) you are not supposed to attach the water softener to the septic system ... it will not pass final inspection.

However, many people add the softener to the system once the inspection is over.

MoKelly

 

[JohnBoyMD]

I dump mine into the sump pit also. Pumps it out under the deck where we have perforated corrugated plastic pipe that allows it to flow out into the stones we have under there.

 

[dodge man]

I have an aerobic system, and yes, at times it causes problems. I'm not sure if it kills the bacteria or what, but it will cause it to overflow sometimes. Normally it doesn't, but lately it has been.

 

[WVBill]

Mine has been going out into our septic for 11 years now with no ill effects.

I have been using potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride since the beginning.

 

[Toyboy]

I suppose it matters how much water you use and how often it regenerates. Most of the older units regenerated every 7 days whether you needed it or not sending a lot of unnecessary brine water to the septic.Now days, anyone who has a modern unit, they regenerate on water usage, not time. Now if you have a house full of people and also have to do laundry every couple days, it may be detrimental to your bacteria in the septic and you may have to add commercially sold bacteria every now and then. Mine goes into the septic but then again there are only two of us 90% of the time.

 

[Dmace]

Don't do it! Those who have without ill effects just have been lucky enough to not use their septic systems to their limits. The salt will cause a huge decrease in bacteria growth in your leach field bed which is needed to break down the effluent. Also, the liquid waste from the water softener can overflow your tank if it's not sized properly. Some of the newer water softeners regenerate much less as they go by gallons of water used instead of a timer but they are still quite a load on a septic system.

Ours runs into a small dry well buried about 5ft deep with a crushed stone base.