The recent influx of environmental consciousness is not only refreshing, but absolutely imperative to the survival of our planet. As consumers, we are paying more attention to how our purchases and habits are affecting the world around us, and making incremental changes to not only put an end to damage, but to make improvements to our environment every day.
In a study done in 2019, 78% of new home buyers and 87% of those building new homes cited energy efficiency as a priority when choosing their home or construction material. An even higher number said that they were willing to pay more for a home that met certain energy efficiency criteria.
In fact, almost every appliance you’ve purchased in the last decade contained an EnergyStar rating, explaining just how energy-friendly the purchase is. But what about your water softener?
How Hard is the Impact of Soft Water?
Concerns about the sustainability and carbon footprint of water softening systems include worries that chloride from salts end up in the surrounding aquatic environment. Other concerns are that waste removed from municipal and well water sources end up back in the environment.
Softeners do remove minerals from your water supply, and in doing so will produce what some consider “waste”. During the regeneration process, calcium and magnesium ions are removed from the water softener via he solution in your brine tank. This allows your media to continue working rather than becoming clogged with removed hard minerals.
The water is then flushed out of the system, where it travels through your septic system and back to your local treatment facility. The EPA has determined that discharge from your home’s softening system is not harmful to your septic system, and can positively affect soil structure by adding calcium and magnesium ions.
The common misconception being that the water in the brine tank is the same as what is being discharged, many people believe that the system’s flushed waste water will damage surrounding soil. The amount of sodium in your softened water that ultimately goes down your drain depends entirely on how hard your water was to begin with.
While softeners aren’t rated by EnergyStar, that doesn’t mean manufacturers have shirked their environmental responsibility. Older systems used copious amounts of water to flush the system, The advancements made in the last decade have minimized the water required to flush the system, and the amount of salt that ends up in the waste water.
If your system is more than ten years old, it might be a good time to consider an upgrade!
Water Conservation
While most industries focus on reduce energy consumption, and most water softening systems are focused on greening their equipment through salt reduction, our focus has been on water conservation.
That’s why we’re excited about Water Efficient Technology or W.E.T.
This system saves up to 50% of water and salt use, which is about 18% better than other high efficiency systems. The system learns your usage routine, adjusting itself to regenerate when the media is at 75% capacity. This allows for a 25% reduction in water automatically. In time, the system will understand your schedule, adjusting your water for days you typically do laundry, do more cooking, or run more water. The system uses less water to regenerate as time passes.
Soft Water Makes Everything Greener
In addition to the water conservation, soft water improves the energy efficiency of all of your other appliances, too! From getting things clean on the first try to improving the longevity of your appliances, soft water helps your home run better!
You’re also able to use less detergents and soaps, and skip the harsh chemicals you’ve traditionally used to remove hard water stains from your home. This keeps water cleaner, cuts your costs, and reduces the corrosion those chemicals can cause.
But, that’s not where the story ends.
Can Your Softener Run Greener?
If you’re worried about the efficiency of your system, consider a few things.
If your system is more than a decade old, it may be time to shop around. A W.E.T.™ system will show you how much salt and water you’re saving over time. The addition of Wripli® Wi-Fi technology allows you o track how much water you’re using, helping you reduce waste.
Proper installation is vital to ensuring your system is programmed properly and functioning well. A DIY water softener doesn’t enjoy the same warranty as one installed professionally. All of our techs are certified to install and calibrate your equipment for ultimate quality and optimal efficiency.
It may be difficult to quantify how green a water softener makes your home, it can be a helpful tool in reducing waste. Keep your home clean while you work toward living green!
Contact your local dealer to talk about Clean Water Testing and for answers to all of your water treatment questions!