Water softener salt and septic system

Cloverbud · #21 03/12/07, 03:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by logbuilder

What I have to fugure out now is how to first plumb it so that it will drain into the septic so it will pass inspection but at the same time make sure the plumbing is in such a way that after inspections are over and I don't have to answer to them, I can quickly and easily change it over to draining otherwise.

Drainfield behind the house, connected to house by pvc pipe through a basement window. Bathtub, washer, softener emptied into pvc pipe via garden hoses. Sometimes we had to thaw it out right at the window w/ a blow dryer. Still had to have the septic pumped regularly, though. YMMV.

**Cabin Fever** · #22 03/12/07, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwinsouthla

Cabin Fever, I stand corrected. I just read the sites. It DOES look like it'll be okay.

Rwinsouthla, I believe what you stated is correct. The thing of it is, the salinity produced from a single recharge of a water softener is not all that high. Let's say a typical recharge cycle uses 5 pounds of salt. And, let's say a typical septic tank contains 1000 gallons of liquid. The salinity created by adding 5 pounds of salt to 1000 gallons of water is about 600 mg/l (parts per million) or 0.06%, much less than the 7% you quoted. In layman's terms, the amount of salt added to the septic tank during one recharge cycle is equivalent to one-tenth of a teaspoon of table salt per quart of water....hardly enough to have any biocidal effects. By the time the next recharge cycle takes place, the salt from the last cycle would be flushed through the septic tank. Consequently, the septic tank's salinity would not increase with each recharge cycle of the water softener.

michiganfarmer · #23 03/12/07, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cabin Fever

Assuming your water softener is recharging at a "normal" frequency, the amount of salt is not going to affect your septic tank. Remember, even tho there is some bacterial digestion that goes on in the tank, the purpose of the sptic tank is not to decompose organic solids. Its purpose is to allow solids to physically settle to the bottom of the tank so they are not discharged to the drainfield where they can plug the soil. In other words, your septic tank can be a "sterile" environment and it would still function as it is suppose to.

thats good to know Cabin. My mother has used lots of bleach for cleaning over the years, and I always thought it would kill the decomposition, and ruin their sytem. Im glad to hear this info from you.

Macybaby · #24 03/12/07, 09:31 AM

If a healthy system never needs to be pumped, then why did the State of WI make in manditory that all systems be pumped out every three years?

And they get nasty with you if you don't too . . .

Yea, I know, don't expect common sense from government.

Cathy

**Cabin Fever** · #25 03/12/07, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macybaby

If a healthy system never needs to be pumped....

This is a fallacy.