Water Softener Installation

Ever wondered what needs to be done for a water softener installation? Read on for our simple overview of what is involved.

Water softener installation in a nutshell

A water softener is plumbed into the incoming main from where it will soften the water. There are four main connections: the inlet, outlet, drain and overflow. Hard water travels from the inlet to the softener and the softened water is returned to the outlet where it will feed the rest of the house. During regeneration, drain water is discharged from the softener via the waste connection.

Are water softener installations regulated?

There are 3 main plumbing regulations provided by WRAS (Water Regulations Advisory Scheme) which must be adhered to:

A Non-Return Valve must be fitted in the mains before the bypass in order to prevent back syphonage An air break must be fitted in the drain line to prevent back syphonage from the drain A Separate mains fed drinking water tap must be fitted if the sodium content of the softened water is above the regulatory limit of 200ppm. The sodium content of softened water is directly related to the hardness of the water being softened so this regulation will affect you if the hardness of your water is over 400ppm.

Diagram of a general water softener installation

If you have any further questions about your water softener installation, please do not hesitate to get in touch!