Water softeners and septic tanks

[Javier]

I had a water softener at my previous house, where we had sewer service. It was great.

We moved to a house with a septic tank not long ago, and I've been wondering what the implications are of having the water softener discharge the rinse water into the septic tank.

Good, bad, indifferent?

In case it matters, we're a family of two adults, two kids, and the septic tank holds 1500 gallons. The leach field seems to be in good shape, it was installed in 2002. The tank was pumped in late 2005, when we bought the house.

Thanks.

[C & E]

I don't believe that the .salts washed from the resin bed would be good for the leach field - they would build up. I can't speak for your situation but our softener had it's own drain line to a dry well where the water leached into the subsoil (I was told by the previous owner). I verified this while the septic tank was being pumped by manually cycling the softener. Nothing went into the tank. You that might try the same to verify.

[David Martel]

C&E,

You lost me. You fear the build up of salt at your leach field but think that the build up of salt is ok at your drywell. Why is that?

Dave M.

[Goedjn]

Salt build-up won't hurt the leachfield any, but it might affect the aquifer under it (if any) and/or anything growing over it.

On the oder hand, if you have anything with significant roots growing into your leachfield, you probably WANT to kill it.

[Jacque Asse]

My experience thus far has been OK. No issue. My septic service (I get it pumped every 18 - 24 months) sees no issue with the system. I have been on my softener system for approx 5 years.

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