We recommended that your water softener not be hooked into the septic system. This has the potential to be very harmful to your system. Excessive water softener salt will kill the bacteria that is essential for maintaining an efficient system. If your water softener is hooked into the septic system, we recommend having a plumber reroute the backwash water. In the mean time, take the following precautions to reduce possible damage to the septic tank and biomat. (The biomat is the layer that forms at the bottom of the gravel bed or distribution field made up of anaerobic bacteria and its by-product, a black slimy substance that protects the bacteria from oxygen).

  • Have your water tested for hardness so you can set controls to the lowest backwash frequency needed and don’t use too much salt (*First, check with your local county health departmentconcerning regulations for water softeners. Most health departments do not require water softener hook up)
  • In areas with extremely hard water, using a separate drywell to receive water softener backwash is recommended when regulations require softener hook up
  • Watch for leaky faucets, toilets or improperly working water softeners and fix as soon as possible