Where to Discharge Water Softener Backwash? – [Complete Guide]

If you are wondering where to discharge water softener backwash then you have come to the right place.

Water softener backwash contains a huge amount of salts therefore, it must be discharged away from the water sources. The best way to discharge water softener backwash is to use a plant container full of soil with no plants in it.

Now you must be thinking if the backwash contains salts then what makes them so dangerous. Why shouldn’t we drain it near the water? What are the consequences if we do so? don’t worry we’ve explained it all in this guide.

All you have to do is to scroll down and keep on reading!

What Does Backwash Contain?

Backwash contains sodium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, etc. These are the main components that make up backwash. They also contain other chemicals such as phosphates, silicates, carbonates, boron, etc.

The concentrations of these chemicals depend upon how much salt your system contains. This is usually determined by how many gallons you need to operate per day. So the higher the number of gallons used the more concentrated the backwash will be.

When Should I use a Plant Container Full Of Sand or Soil?

It would be better to use sand or soil because when mixed together they act like a sponge and soak up the water slowly. This means that the backwash won’t overflow until it’s time for the next cycle.

On the contrary, when using nothing but water, the backwash doesn’t take time to absorb and instead overflows immediately. This leads to an increase in the quantity of waste being produced and wasted energy.

How Much Water Should Be Added To My System?

You can add up to 5-10 gallons of fresh water depending on the hardness of the river/lake it comes from. When using seawater it would be wise to decrease the amount. How much you should add depends on the size of your tank and the amount of salt to be removed.

So don’t forget to consider all factors before deciding on anything. We made sure to include everything here so you wouldn’t find it difficult at any point.

After adding the water the flow rate will be quite high due to the additional amount of fresh water which has been added to the system. This means you will require to run some sort of filtering system installed.

This step is very important because it not only filters out all impurities but also keeps the pH level stable. It even helps to improve the taste of the treated water.

If your filter allows it make sure to install an inline chlorinator (also known as Chlorinator). This prevents algae growth inside the tank.

Is It Safe To Drain On Land?

Yes, it is safe to discharge. However, you might want to consider draining it into something where there are no plants present. Otherwise, the ground could become too saline which isn’t good for anyone.

Apart from that, If you drain the backwash on land, especially on farmland then it will lose its fertility making it unsuitable for planting crops. You could try having it drained into a lake/river but it still wouldn’t be recommended. The reason behind it is that the backwash carries with it all the salts it contained.

Even though it may appear harmless there’s actually no way of knowing what might happen if we expose this salt solution to our bodies.

What Kinds of Plants Will Tolerate Salt Water?

Saltwater is okay for most types of aquatic plants, however, it does lower their overall health. This is why you must always be mindful of how much saltwater you’re adding to the tank and plan accordingly.

Most fish do not tolerate saltwater. Some fish species will die within minutes while others get stressed out. Don’t allow them to stay submerged for longer than 3-5 minutes.

There’s also no harm in using saltwater in a pond since most of the hard work is done by the plant roots rather than us humans. In fact, it helps to keep them clean.

I’ll leave you with these two important points: Always test the pH levels of both tap and seawater first. Do this regularly to avoid overloading your tank with salt water.

Why Not Use Other Methods for Discharging the Backwash?

There are a lot of methods available for discharging water softener backwash. There are some people who just scoop them up once every 6 months without doing any treatment. If you plan to go this path, please follow the instructions given above and make sure the system drains correctly.

Salt cans are made mainly of zinc with iron and aluminum. In fact, there are two types of zinc-based corrosion-resistant metals that we recommend using: galvanized steel and stainless steel. You can reuse cans after removing the contents and cleaning the surface thoroughly.

Doing this will help you save money on disposal costs since it is cheap compared to regular plastics.

Conclusion

Where to Discharge Water Softener Backwash? As you see from the above article. the best way to discharge backwash is to drain them to a container with holes drilled onto the bottom to allow excess liquid through.

This protects the earth from becoming too salty while still allowing the rest of the backwash to be used again.

We’ve tried our best to cover everything about where to drain water softener backwash (as well as everything else) and hopefully, we were able to answer your question adequately. Your feedback would be highly appreciated!

Thanks For Reading!