It may surprise you to hear that the conversation regarding issues that chlorides pose in wastewater actually starts with the hardness of potable water and the water conditioning systems that customers may use to remove it. 

Most groundwater sources throughout Wisconsin have some degree of hardness or the presence of dissolved minerals, such as calcium and magnesium. The higher the concentration of dissolved minerals, the harder the water is considered to be.  Hardness is typically measured in one of two different units, either grains per gallon (gpg) or parts per million (ppm). 

Water that is considered to be soft has less than 1 gpg hardness (17 ppm), moderately hard water at 3.5-7 gpg (60 - 120ppm) and extremely hard at greater than 10 gpg (>170 ppm). 

Customers who have hard water will likely find the white chalky residue of hardness on plumbing fixtures, in plumbing pipes, or even on freshly washed dishes and clothes. 

The Total hardness of (CAC03) of our water is 375 mg/L (ppm). Converted that is 21.9 g/gal (gpg). 

Some customers choose not to condition their water at all and enjoy the taste of hard water and the additional mineral content that it contains. Hard water can also be a benefit to customers who have dietary or cardiovascular concerns related to the intake of sodium through traditionally softened water. 

The first step in conditioning your water may likely be the installation of a whole house filter. While most filters available in big box stores do not directly remove hardness, they can reduce some sediment (rust), chlorine, or taste characteristics some customers prefer not to have in their water. 

Another step up and also a great option that is becoming more widely used are "saltless softeners" or whole-house water conditioning systems. While the specific design varies by manufacturer, these units typically include some level of filtration and convert the minerals into a scale-resistant crystalline form. The benefits include retention of the mineral in the water, utilization of a salt-free media for conditioning, and provides protection for appliances and plumbing, to name a few. 

The last, and one of the most popular choices customers make to remove hardness in the water are generally referred to simply as "water softeners". The technical term for these units is an ion-exchange water softener. As these softeners work, they exchange ions with minerals in water using resin beads in the equipment. The beads trade sodium ions for the calcium or magnesium ions (hardness) in the water, which softens the water that leaves the tank. 

Over time, the resins in these units become laden with calcium and magnesium ions and no longer soften the water. To solve this, the unit starts a regeneration cycle, where a highly concentrated brine solution washes over the beads and removes the calcium and magnesium ions. The brine solution is flushed into the sanitary sewer, which is where the lifecycle of chlorides begins in our wastewater collection and treatment system.

Chloride is one of two components of sodium, which we know as salt. When salt dissolves in water, it separates into sodium (Na+) ions and Chloride (CI-) ions.

Small amounts of Chloride come from soaps, detergents, and other cleaning products. Some also come from commercial processes and road deicing operations. However, a significant amount of Chloride comes from the regeneration cycle of water softeners, discussed in the "How is hardness removed from water" section above. 

Chlorides from water softeners and surface water runoff from salted sidewalks, parking lots, and streets eventually make their way into the sanitary sewer collection system. These waters are transported via underground piping to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. 

Treatment Plants are designed to remove particles, like grit and sand, and they biologically remove organic waste, such as food and human waste. However, once Chloride is dissolved into water, it cannot be removed by settling or biological treatment processes. Chlorides that come to Lake Geneva's Wastewater Treatment Plant pass through the plant, where the treated waters are discharged to groundwater and eventually travel to the aquifer.

Our freshwater streams and lakes contain low levels of naturally occurring salts, including chloride. These salts are essential to the aquatic organisms that live there. However, high concentrations of chloride can be harmful to aquatic plants and animals. Given that there is no biological process to remove chlorides from water once it's dissolved, there is a certain amount of "bioaccumulation" that occurs with chloride contamination in freshwater over time.

The easiest way to remove chlorides from the wastewater stream and the environment is to simply reduce the amount generated from homes and businesses. This includes reducing the amount of salt used on sidewalks, optimizing existing water softeners, and by utilizing high-efficiency or saltless water softener units.

If we cannot meet our SRMs goals and the regulations of our Wastewater Treatment Plant discharge permit, very costly upgrades will be necessary. These upgrades could involve microfiltration and reverse osmosis, which are the same treatment processes used to produce pure water used in laboratories and come with high operational and maintenance costs as well.

Beyond the direct environmental concerns, chlorides are not something we can currently treat at our Wastewater Treatment Plant, though we do have a compliance threshold to meet for chlorides in our treated water. As a result, we have to focus on reducing chlorides at their source. If chlorides cannot be removed from the collection and treatment system, the Utility will need to look at very expensive infrastructure improvements at the Wastewater Treatment Plant to gain compliance with our discharge permit. 

Salt used to de-ice sidewalks, parking lots, streets, and highways can be a significant source of chloride.

• The salt dissolves into water that can then enter the ground water; this ground water enters the sanitary sewer collection system through manholes, small cracks, and sewer pipe joints. 

• Excess salt that remains after de-icing operations eventually blows off the hard surface, finds it's way to the grass, gets rained on and eventually finds its way into the ground, ultimately ending up in our utility infrastructure or rivers and lakes. 

The City's Public Works Department has made significant efforts to optimize the amount of road salt used on snowy and icy roads. The overall amount of salt used per lane mile of road within the City has been reduced by approximately 60% over the last 10 years. This is attributable to the implementation of a brining program, by performing annual calibrations of de-icing equipment, and by reducing the application rates that had been the prior operating standard.

The Wastewater Utility has spent the last 3 years collecting and analyzing hundreds of samples from the collection system to determine the origin of high concentrations of chlorides, as well as what seasonal effects are experienced with the collection system. The analytical results are being used to steer our SRMs plan and the incentive programs offered by the Utility.

An incentive program was also launched by the Utility that was initially aimed to eliminate time-based regenerating softeners, offering rebates for customers who upgraded their equipment to water usage-based regenerating units. Information on our new incentive programs can be found near the bottom of the page. 

There are several ways that customers can help reduce Chlorides in our wastewater treatment system and the environment. 

Below you can find information on some of the best ways to reduce or eliminate your usage of Chlorides.

Together, the residents, businesses, utility staff, and City Officials can avert the need to construct expensive Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements, reduce any additional operational costs associated with those improvements, and prevent the need to increase sewer user fees well into the future.

Verify the Hardness setting

Check how your softener is calibrated. Some softeners are preset for the highest hardness setting at the factory or may have been set up inaccurately during installation. The Total hardness of (CAC03) of our water is 375 mg/L (ppm). Converted that is 21.9 g/gal (gpg) and you can set the hardness to 20 grains per gallon. 

You can also choose to reduce the hardness setting even further. Lowering your softener's hardness setting by an additional 5 - 10 gpg will reduce your salt usage, ultimately saving you money on the front end, and will help the Utility's efforts to gain compliance with Chloride requirements in our discharge permit. 

Check the timer 

If you are still using a time-based regenerating softener, it may be time to make some upgrades to newer, more efficient equipment. However, while you're waiting for a new softener to be installed, take a minute to review when it last was adjusted. Children move out or other factors come into play that affect the amount of water we use. If your softener is regulated by a timer, you may be able to increase the interval between regeneration cycles without affecting the water quality. Increase the time by one day and see if there is any effect on dishwashing and laundry during the next month. Keep pushing the time out every month until you notice a change and then go back to the last setting. 

Limit fixtures that are softened

Check to see what fixtures in your home are receiving softened water. Make sure to eliminate hose bibs or outside spigots from any softened plumbing lines, plants can be damaged by extended use of soft water. You can also consider eliminating fixtures like toilets and utility or mop sinks from softened water lines. 

Discharge location of softener

Under the State of Wisconsin plumbing code the by-pass water from a softener may be discharged to a clear water sump pump or to the surface of the ground provided a nuisance from the discharge water is not created.

If you're considering the installation of a new softener or the replacement of an existing softener, considering a high-efficiency water softener will reduce your salt (chloride) use and save you money in the long run. Most plumbing companies and water conditioning specialists offer high-efficiency softeners for purchase or as a rental. 

High-efficiency softeners use less water and can cut the amount of salt used in their regeneration cycle by 50% over traditional softeners while offering the same benefits of scale reduction, improvements to water quality, and protection for expensive water-using appliances as standard softeners.

Saltless softeners or water conditioning units are newer to the market than traditional softeners, but improvements in technology have made them a very competitive option for customers looking for the softened water experience. Benefits of saltless softeners include: a lower environmental impact by eliminating chloride usage, continued intake of naturally occurring minerals found in the water, offering a no-sodium option for customers with dietary restrictions, a smaller physical footprint compared to traditional brine/media tank softeners, and most of the units do not require electricity and don't waste water during traditional regeneration cycles. 

The Utility is currently updating the incentive programs offered to customers, please check back for additional information as these programs are finalized. 

You can also call the Utility Office at 262-248-2311 for more information.