Published: Dec 19, 2016 | 09:47 AM

Water Softeners Can Impact Water Quality

We are often asked if we recommend any type of water treatment device, from water softeners to elaborate filtering systems. The water our customers receive from us meets and exceeds all state and federal mandates, so we don’t recommend any treatment systems. Your water is fine as it is.

However, we recognize that the water we receive from imported sources can be a lot harder than groundwater – in other words, it has a high mineral content. Soft water has a lower mineral content, which some customers might prefer.

If you opt for a water softener for your home, there are a few facts of which you should be aware.

Water softeners which require periodic addition of rock salt or potassium are not encouraged by IRWD because of the discharge of salty brine into the wastewater system. IRWD recycles its wastewater and salt cannot be removed during the recycling process. Much of our recycled water is use for irrigation of public areas and some landscaping cannot tolerate the high salt content produced by water softeners.

But if you desire a water softener, there is an environmentally friendly option – subscribe to a service that picks up and exchanges the cylinder so the salt does not go down the drain. Hooking up the water softener only to the hot water lines will save customers money, as well.

More water quality information is available on our website.