A water softener system removes calcium and magnesium from your home's water supply. These minerals can otherwise build up in the pipes, decreasing water pressure, causing clogs, and shortening the life span of appliances like dishwashers. If you also have a septic system in your home, you need to ensure your water filtration system isn’t draining to your septic tank. Otherwise, you may stress the system, requiring emergency septic maintenance. Here’s what to know.

What’s the Connection Between Septic Systems & Water Softeners?

Septic systems provide underground wastewater treatment to areas that may not be able to connect to municipal water lines. The system relies on a septic tank, which separates solid organic matter from liquid. This liquid, known as effluent, is filtered and discharged into a drain field.

Your water softener system similarly needs somewhere to drain wastewater. Unfortunately, some water softener companies take a shortcut by installing their systems so that they drain into the septic tank. This saves the company the trouble of having to create their own drainage system.

What Are the Dangers of Draining Your Water Softening System to Your Septic Tank?

There are a few problems with connecting a water softening system to your septic system. A septic tank is designed to handle a set amount of water.

A tank serving a two-person household with one toilet will hold less volume than a tank accommodating a larger household. If the water softener drains into the tank, it can cause overflows and backups.

The sodium and potassium used for water softening will wear away the tank's concrete. The overload combined with the strain on the concrete may result in system failure. Since septic systems remove harmful wastewater, this can be a safety hazard that requires urgent septic maintenance.

In Connecticut, it’s a violation of septic state code to have your water softener system drain into the septic tank. If you find out that this is the case in your home, it's important to get this changed. 

If you want to protect your family’s health with top-notch septic maintenance, contact the team at Abrahamson Septic in Preston, CT. This family-owned company performs a range of septic work, including installations and repairs. Visit their website for a list of services, or call (860) 889-7939 for an estimate.