Water-softener rebate program launched

Region offers opportunity to save money, lessen impact on environment

WATERLOO REGION — Homeowners interested in saving money and reducing their impact on local waterways can join a Region of Waterloo rebate program for switching water softeners to treat hot water only.

The three-year pilot program launches this month, offering a one-time rebate of $50 per household.

“It’s basically to help the environment, cut back on salt use,” said Steve Gombos, manager of water efficiency for the region.

The switch to hot-water softening would save the average home $84 a year in salt and water use, soon offsetting the cost of the plumbing modification.

“The payback is within three years,” Gombos said. “It will also extend the life expectancy of their water softener as well, so that’s a long-term saving.”

In most single-family homes, both hot and cold water is treated and sometimes also drinking and outdoor tap water.

Highrise apartments, commercial facilities and institutions do not typically soften cold water.

Water softeners are common in the region, where the water is considered very hard, and their use accounts for 16,000 tons of salt each year.

“We don’t need to use all that salt for our water softeners just by making that change,” Gombos said.

Scale from the minerals in groundwater doesn’t build up with cold water as much as hot, and mixing hot and cold water limits buildup. About 65 per cent of household water use is cold, which means softening only hot water would have a big impact on salt and water use without losing the benefits of softening.

Water softeners are contributing to the rising salt concentrations in the Grand River because it is not removed during wastewater treatment.

“That all runs off into the environment and it’s harmful to plants and animals,” Gombos said.

The switch will also save greenhouse gas emissions from mining, processing and transporting salt, as well as water pumping and treatment.

Water softeners use water for backwashing, which recharges the softener’s ion exchange to replace scaling minerals with salt.

The target is 175 rebates in 2020 and then 350 in each of the next two years.

“Overall, the more people that participate the better it will be,” Gombos said.

Homeowners register online and then the first step to check for water hardness to see if they qualify for the program by using a test kit from the region.

“It takes a couple seconds for a resident to test their water to see what their water softener is doing now,” Gombos said.

Or homeowners can get a water-efficient technology audit from Reep Green Solutions, which will resume next week.

People who register will be entered into a rain barrel draw.

“We’re hoping that people will gradually get on board, save the environment and save the money for salt and water use as well,” Gombos said.

Find out more at regionofwaterloo.ca/en/living-here/water-softeners.aspx.