Solvang residents encouraged to shut off water softeners

The city of Solvang is asking residents to consider turning off their automatic water softeners for the next several months.

In a press release, city officials said that the current water from the state water source is naturally “softer” than the city well water.

Water softeners are used to remove minerals like calcium that make water “hard.”

Water softeners typically use salt to soften the water and that salt often passes through drains and ends up in the water treatment plant and eventually makes its way to the Santa Ynez River Basin. Dozens of gallons of salt solution are passed through the sewer system every month.

Salt can impair the quality of the groundwater and can damage the local ecosystem.

Residents are asked to turn down or disable their automatic water softeners or consider switching to a portable exchange tank water softener while the city utilizes the state water source.