French drain

[birdiebill]

Has anyone had a French drain installed to handle water softener discharge? Who did your install? How long and how deep? Thank you if you can provide info.

We have had a water softener for three years and like it since it has eliminated scale build up. There is no drain in the garage for the discharge. The installer put a 1 or 2 inch PVC pipe vertically next to the foundation. It does not hold the entire 15 gallons of discharge water, so part of the overflow is in the landscape bed. Am considering a French drain. A ten foot 4 inch PVC drainage pipe holds 6.5 gallons but since the drainage would be escaping through the holes in the pipe, I can't imagine needing 30 feet of the pipe.

Of course another option would be to replace the softener with a water conditioner system. Either one would prevent scale build up on faucets, toilets, glasses, appliances, etc.

[villagetinker]

OP, it sounds like the original plumber did not go deep enough for your system, it might be much more cost effective to simply have the existing drain made deeper. Yes we have a "french drain" system, as they could not get through the clay layer to install the simple drain.

[retiredguy123]

Some of the water softener discharges I have seen are just a pipe through the exterior wall and the water flows onto the ground. No French drain. Another option is to use a trenching tool to install a plastic drain pipe to the street, terminating with a pop-up drain a few inches from the street. It may be easier and more dependable than a French drain.

[villagetinker]

My understanding, you are NOT allowed to drain water softener into the street, please check with the county building department before doing this.

[retiredguy123]

My understanding, you are NOT allowed to drain water softener into the street, please check with the county building department before doing this.
I cannot find any rule that would prohibit discharging the water softener water into a drain that goes into the street.