# Well water/Water softener?



## Ryan1+2 (Oct 16, 2018)

I currently water my yard with hoses connected to hose bib. I have two of them and both are fed in line with water softener. I have recently been reading up on soil surfactants and wetting agents for areas of my yard that are hard and compacted. I'm looking to get a hose end sprayer for applying. Should I be concerned about the salt in the treated water? If that is a concern and I re plumb one of the hose bibs would there be a problem watering with hard water?


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## wafflesngravy (Apr 8, 2019)

When I built my house our plumber warned us about NOT watering grass with the soft water. He said the salt will kill everything. I kinda question this as the water softener does rinse itself out before water goes through it, but it does let minor amounts of salt into the water from what I've read. So I wouldnt risk it.

Plus even if it didnt hurt the grass, you're gonna go through a TON of rock salt because your sprinklers will be using up all that soft water every time they run. Just washing my car seems to deplete mine.

As far as hard water for the lawn you'll be just fine. The only issue I have with my well water is its a bit sandy so some times things get clogged. Especially the first couple years when the well is new.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

You should be splitting off from where the water comes into the house - one shutoff should be for irrigation, and one should be for the house.

If it isn't currently plumbed that way, and you want to irrigate, I would suggest doing so. Aside from the water softener, if you beef up that hose bib to 3/4" feed you'll get a good deal more flow as well most likely.


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## Ryan1+2 (Oct 16, 2018)

Thanks for the input guys. Definitely going to change feed to hose bib.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

..but at that point may as well spend about $1000 on parts and install your own irrigation, which will then balloon to about $2000, but then you'll be done!


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## Ryan1+2 (Oct 16, 2018)

Haha. Maybe next year


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## JRS 9572 (May 28, 2018)

Our family has been a Culligan Dealer for almost 40 years. The answer is it depends on the amount of hardness in the water, and the amount of dissolved solids total in the water. 
If you have lower hardness to begin with, then it doesn't exchange that much sodium for the hardness. Therefore it will not effect plant life generally. 
The other issue is....more water through the softener means more salt usage and cost for you.

Would hard water effect how well the chemicals work? Maybe. It all depends on the area water characteristics as I listed above. If you know someone in the lawn chemical business that's good, then ask them if they do anything different. If they don't, then I would trust what they do.

Sorry it's not very simple answer to your issue.


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## jeannae (Jun 6, 2019)

In fact, salty soft water should not normally be used to irrigate the yard. Although some plants can withstand soil conditions above pH 7, most plants planted in the yard are often fragile. You'd better use other types of salt-free water softener to pour water.


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