How do water softeners add chloride to wastewater?
Water softeners exchange the calcium and magnesium (hardness) present in hard water for sodium or potassum. The calcium and magnesium adhere to resin in the softener. When the resin becomes saturated it is necessary to regenerate it. This is done by adding large amounts of sodium chloride or potassium chloride dissolved in water to the resin. The sodium or potassium displaces the calcium and magnesium, which is flushed to the sewer in a briny solution along with the chloride from the added sodium chloride or potassium chloride. When water softeners regenerate they produce a waste stream that contains significant amounts of chloride. Automatic water softeners, which do this regeneration on-site, add chloride to the sewer system in the Santa Clarita Valley. Exchange tank softeners that are regenerated at centralized off-site facilities do not produce a similar burden on the Santa Clarita Valley’s sewer system.
Water softeners exchange the calcium and magnesium (hardness) present in hard water for sodium or potassium. The calcium and magnesium adhere to resin in the softener. When the resin becomes saturated it is necessary to regenerate it. This is done by adding large amounts of sodium chloride or potassium chloride dissolved in water to the resin. The sodium or potassium displaces the calcium and magnesium, which is flushed to the sewer in a briny solution along with the chloride from the added sodium chloride or potassium chloride. When water softeners regenerate they produce a waste stream that contains significant amounts of chloride. Automatic water softeners, which do this regeneration on-site, add chloride to the sewer system in the Santa Clarita Valley. Exchange tank softeners that are regenerated at centralized off-site facilities do not produce a similar burden on the Santa Clarita Valley’s sewer system.
