Chloride Discharge Standards in Water Softeners

Understanding Minnesota’s Chloride Discharge Regulations

Chloride discharge has become a major issue in the water conditioning industry in Minnesota. The Minnesota Water Quality Association (MWQA) Convention is focusing heavily on this topic, as many communities are being impacted by new chloride discharge limits.

If your area hasn’t faced restrictions yet, expect that you will soon.

Why Are Chloride Discharge Regulations Getting Stricter?

Minnesota is facing an increasingly serious salty water problem. Chloride from road salt and water softener discharge is making its way into our lakes and rivers, posing a serious threat to freshwater fish populations and aquatic life.

• Even small amounts of chloride can permanently contaminate water sources.
• Larger amounts threaten fish and plant populations, disrupting ecosystems.

Because Minnesota is a cold-weather state, we face double the challenges:

1. Heavy road salt use in winter to prevent ice buildup.
2. High water hardness, leading to widespread use of water softeners—which discharge chloride into municipal wastewater plants.

The problem? Most wastewater treatment plants are not designed to effectively separate chloride from wastewater. This means the chloride ends up in rivers and lakes, worsening the issue.

What Can Be Done?

There is no simple solution to removing chloride from wastewater.

✔️ Reverse osmosis can remove chloride, but it is costly and complex for city-wide implementation.
✔️ Cities could provide pre-softened water, eliminating the need for household softeners, but this is also an expensive investment.
✔️ Homeowners can switch to high-efficiency water softeners, which significantly reduce chloride discharge and salt use.

Because large-scale solutions are difficult to implement, regulations are now being placed on chloride discharge in facility permits.

How Can Homeowners Help Reduce Chloride Discharge?

To combat this issue, we need to focus on multiple strategies:

✔️ Understanding the environmental impact of chloride discharge.
✔️ Encouraging community-wide treatment solutions.
✔️ Optimizing water softeners to minimize salt use and discharge.

Take Action: Get a High-Efficiency Water Softener

One of the best ways to reduce chloride discharge is by upgrading to a high-efficiency water softener.

Finken offers free water tests to help you determine the best solution for your home.

📞 Schedule your free water test today and do your part in protecting Minnesota’s water.