Save Money.  You Already Pay for Softened Water.  Why Soften Again?

The City of Chilton softens the water that comes into your home and business with large municipal Ion-exchange (salt) softeners. The water supply is softened to an average hardness of 8 grains per gallon. The salt used by the municipal softeners and each homeowner’s softener passes through the Wastewater Treatment Plant and ends up in neighborhood lakes, streams, rivers, and groundwater. Also, the salt spread on roads, driveways and walks end up in lakes, streams, rivers, and groundwater. The cumulative effects of the salt used can have toxic effects for aquatic plants and animals.

All residents are required to obtain a building permit for the installation or replacement of an existing water softener. Per City of Chilton Municipal Code, owners of water softeners that were installed after July 1, 2007 must meet the high-efficiency criteria or Demand Initiated Regeneration (DIR) Unit. The City of Chilton Municipal Code states the following:

12.04(3) (f) New Water Softener Requirements: All new residential water softeners installed after July 1, 2007 shall be subject to the following:

1. The softener shall have Demand-Initiated Regeneration (DIR) controls and shall meet the “High Efficiency Softener” standards of the Water Quality Association which are 3350 grains hardness removed per one pound of salt.
2. The owner shall have the softener inspected every five years by a qualified technician.
3. A copy of said inspection report shall be forwarded to the City of Chilton Wastewater Department.

Therefore, the City of Chilton is working diligently to meet the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) chloride effluent limits on the discharge of chlorides from the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant. Water softening is a major contributor to high chloride effluent limits. By softening more water than what is really needed, you increase the cost of operating your softener (in terms of increased payments for salt and energy), and ultimately, more salt will enter the environment because of increased softener regenerations and increased chloride effluent concentration.

City of Chilton residents should notify the Wastewater Treatment Plant, at (920) 464-0505, if you have a working water softener system or a non-working water system that is no longer being used.  

 

The City of Chilton would like to remind citizens to refrain from flushing any feminine hygiene products (plastic applicators, tampons, sanitary pads), household wipes or baby wipes down the toilet. These items clog up pipes and create problems for the sewage systems.

Many of these products are advertised as flushable, disposable or biodegradable but in reality they are not. The majority of these items are made of plastic, polyester, and cotton fibers. All of these materials may eventually break down, but it can take years to do so.

All feminine hygiene products, household wipes and baby wipes should be disposed of in the trash, even if the packaging suggests otherwise. Flushing anything besides toilet paper can result in blockage and expensive home plumbing problems.  Other items that should not go down your sewer/drain pipes: grease, poisons, hazardous waste, cotton balls/swabs, hair, disposable diapers or unused medications.

The cost will be on the homeowner to clean out the piping or repair/replace damage in the home/business. 

If you have further questions, please contact the Wastewater Department Leadman Tim Keuler at (920) 849-9562.