Santa Clara River Chloride Reduction Ordinance of 2008

On November 4, 2008, voters approved the Santa Clara River Chloride Reduction Ordinance of 2008.  The ordinance prohibits residential automatic water softeners in the Santa Clarita Valley. The ordinance can be obtained by following the link below.

Santa Clara River Chloride Reduction Ordinance of 2008

  • Effective June 30, 2009, all residential automatic water softeners, also known as self-regenerating water softeners, are prohibited in the Santa Clarita Valley.

  • Residents affected by this ordinance that own their units are able to participate in the Automatic Water Softener Rebate Program.

  • A violation of the ordinance following issuance of a final administrative order is a misdemeanor punishable by fines up to $1,000 and/or imprisonment not to exceed 30 days.
  • The ordinance applies to residences served by the Santa Clarita Valley Sanitation District, which includes all areas with sewer service in the Santa Clarita Valley. Communities affected include, but are not limited to: Santa Clarita, Saugus, Valencia, Newhall, Castaic, Canyon Country, Stevenson Ranch, Fair Oaks Ranch, Bouquet Canyon, Mint Canyon, and Forrest Park.
  • Residences served by septic tanks instead of sewers are not affected by the ordinance.
  • The ordinance applies in the same way whether you rent your automatic water softener or own it.

  • The ordinance applies only to water softeners that use either sodium chloride or potassium chloride to regenerate on site. The ordinance does not apply to water softeners that use exchange tanks that are regenerated off-site. It also does not apply to filtration, activated carbon, reverse osmosis treatment, or non-salt water conditioning units.

  • If you wish to treat your water you can use water treatment systems such as activated carbon units, reverse osmosis systems, portable exchange tank softeners, salt free water conditioning devices, or water filtration systems. Click here for more information.

  • Disposal of brine from an automatic water softener, even if you use potassium chloride, onto land or into a dry well requires a permit from the Regional Board. Without a permit, landscape irrigation with brine and disposal of brine into a dry well is illegal. The state agency responsible for protecting water quality (the Regional Board) will not issue permits for irrigation with brine and disposal brine into a dry well. Violators may be subject to penalties.
  • Santa Clarita businesses have been prohibited from using automatic water softeners since 1961.