Water softener discharge and septic system

[lizlockhart]

We have recently moved to a house with an aerobic septic system and a private water well. The well water is very hard (9.5 grains/gallon). We are researching water softener systems that can use either sodium chloride or potassium chloride to regenerate the resin bed in the softener. The effluent from this process (about 30 to 50 gallons/week of a sodium or potassium solution) will need to be drained into the septic system or directly into the yard/flower bed. Our septic repairman says the sodium will ruin the pump in the septic system. We are also concerned about what these chemicals will do to the yard. Does anyone have any information regarding the effects the sodium or potassium will have on the septic system and the yard?

[Marlyn]

You might want to look into the magnetic water conditioners. I personally don't know anything about them, but they sound interesting and more desireable that a conventional softener, if they work well.
Here's a link with some info.
http://www.space-age.com/magwater/fta/index.html

I can't answer about the effluent on the yard. Overtime, it's bound to be at least somewhat undesireable. We had a water softener when I was a kid and it drained into the septic system, but we were on a aerobic septic and it went into the leach fields. Actually it probably wasn't as often as every month, since my dad was notoriously bad about forgetting to refill the water softener.

Marlyn