# Why would water taste salty all of a sudden



## DaynaJ (Dec 5, 2007)

When we have a water softener? Thanks in advance for your help--
Oh yeah, HAPPY NEW YEAR YA'LL!!!


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## plowjockey (Aug 18, 2008)

It may not be cycling through it's cleaning cycle properly, or not draining. 

Salt water is flushed throught the resin pellets to clean off mineral deposits and then goes down the drain.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Yes, if you get a backwash situation for any reason, your water will taste salty. You might have something stopping up the drain. Easy to check. I'd do that first.


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## Use Less (Nov 8, 2007)

You might need a new canister, if that is a replaceable item in your softener, or a new softener. Softened water has more salt than water straight from the well or other source. We have our kitchen cold tap set to give water treated for sulfur & manganese, but ahead of the softener to avoid the extra salt in our diet.


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## artificer (Feb 26, 2007)

From the Morton Salt's FAQ:
19) After using Morton water softening products will my water have a salty taste?

With a water softener that is operating properly, the water should not taste salty. The salt should be totally rinsed from the system during the brine and rinse cycle of the regeneration process, except for the sodium which exchanges onto the water softenerâs resin replacing calcium and magnesium. During the service cycle, hardness in the water is exchanged for sodium.

If your water tastes salty, it is likely that the water softener is malfunctioning, such as a stuck valve or valve that isn't seated properly. You could try cleaning the venturi valve and directions for doing this are in your owner's manual. Otherwise, you should call a reputable water dealer to have the unit checked. Back to Top
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A bit of additional information... The salt content of a properly functioning softener should be #of-grains-hardness X 38 = mg/liter sodium (1mg/l hardness = .5mg/l sodium for metric units)

Water starts tasting salty to some people when its higher than 250 mg/l. If this is true and you have hard/very hard water, then the softened water might taste salty even with a properly functioning softener. For low sodium diet people, they suggest drinking unsoftened water, or getting an RO system just for the drinking water. (reverse osmosis)

Michael


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## farminghandyman (Mar 4, 2005)

when we had a water softener, we just hooked it up to the hot water line, from time to time the Hot water would taste salty just after cycling, not that I drank it normally.


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## k9 (Feb 6, 2008)

Is the time clock set properly on the unit, usually they regenerate at night in the early morning, the water may taste salty during the time it is regenerating. If the clock is off it may be regenerating while you are using it during the day.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

And, if someone flushes a toilet or runs water in the middle of the night while it's regenerating, you can get salt in the lines.


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## jross (Sep 3, 2006)

I have heard that using salt pellets will cause the control vale to gum up since a wax is used to form the pellets. We changed to potassium chloride which is expensive but it is not pelleted. I changed out the control valve before switching to potassium and it was gummed up pretty good. So far, so good.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

We've had our water softer in use since 1980, using pellets, no control valve issues ever. I'm wondering if that's some chemical reaction between your specific water characteristics and the pellets.


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## Mid Tn Mama (May 11, 2002)

Are you on the chesapeake bay? Our dd's water is well water and to me it tastes salty. I buy water when visiting.


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