Will Softened Water Harm A Septic System?

No, the water softener effluents exert a beneficial influence on a septic tank system operation. Recent studies conducted by the University of Wisconsin in Madison,and the National Sanitation Foundation have determined the following:

• Water softener effluents exert a beneficial influence on a septic tank system operation by stimulating biological action in the septic tank , and cause no operational problems in the typical anaerobic and aerobic septic tanks.
• Softener wastes are added to the septic tank slowly and are not of sufficient volume to cause any load problems in the septic tank system. In fact, they are lower in volume and rate of addition than waste coming out from many automatic washers.
• Water softener regenerational wastes should not interfere with drain field soil percolation but may actually improve the soil percolation, particularly in fine textured soils.