Important Information Regarding Water Softeners

Improper Softener Installation Information

District staff has observed cases of improper installation of water softeners that have resulted in direct cross-connection between water and sewer lines.

The drain line plumbing configuration (as shown in illustration) could cause contamination of the drinking water in your home.  This could result in the potential for water-borne illness.

This potential health risk can be avoided by calling the appropriate number (to obtain a permit and schedule an inspection of your water softener plumbing.)

International Plumbing Code requires that an air gap between the sewer and water line must exist, and that it must be twice the diameter of the supply/drainage pipe, but never less than one inch.

Be sure to match the rated flow (gallons of water per minute) of the softener with the number of fixtures in your home supplied by the softener. Under-sizing water softeners can result in a significant reduction in flow to individual fixtures when multiple fixtures are used simultaneously.

Yes, the District does have hard water.

A good portion of the District’s water is supplied by shallow alluvial aquifers. These aquifers expose water to natural underground calcium and magnesium deposits. These dissolved minerals result in your drinking water averaging 21 grains/gallon (359 mg/L) hardness. This hardness can result in the buildup of white deposits (called scale) in cooking pots or coffee makers, or reduced ability to make suds for washing.

Water hardness in the home can be managed with packaged water softeners or other softening devices. If you do feel you need to install a water softener, shop around for the best price and choose a company that will stand behind their product.

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