Water softeners.
Riverside Municipal Code § 14.12.245
in effect14.12.245 - Water softeners.
A. No commercial or industrial user shall install, replace, enlarge, or use any regenerative-type water softener unless the apparatus complies with the following conditions:
1. The regeneration is performed at a nonresidential facility separate from the location of the facility where such appliance is used; or
2. If the apparatus is a self-generating water softener, the regenerative brine solutions generated during the regeneration and backwash cycles of the water softener shall be segregated for disposal to a legal brine disposal site; and
3. The backwash equipment shall be equipped with an electrical conductivity-controlled discharge valve that controls the wastewater discharge to the POTW. This valve shall be calibrated to control and prevent any discharge of wastewater that exceeds the maximum total dissolved solids concentration established by resolution; and
4. The user shall maintain the electrical conductivity-controlled discharge valve in proper operating conditions at all times. In the event of a valve failure, the user shall immediately cease the regeneration discharge and immediately notify the Director of the failure by telephone call, telefax transmission, electronic report, personal visit, or a hand delivered notification, to the City's Environmental Compliance Office. Within five calendar days after discovery of the failure, the user shall submit a written report to the Director documenting the dates, times, and cause of the failure, and the corrective actions taken.
B. Pursuant to California Health and Safety Code Sections 116775-116795, no residential water softening or conditioning appliance may be installed except in the following circumstances:
1. The regeneration is performed at a nonresidential facility separate from the location of the residence where such appliance is used; or
2. The regeneration discharges to the waste disposal system of the residence where such appliance is used and the following conditions are satisfied:
a. The appliance activates regeneration by demand control;
b. An appliance installed on or after January 1, 2000, shall be certified by a third-party rating organization using industry standards to have a salt efficiency rating of no less than 3,350 grains of hardness removed per pound of salt used in generation. An appliance installed on or after January 1, 2002, shall be certified by a third-party rating organization using industry standards to have a salt efficiency rating of no less than 4,000 grains of hardness removed per pound of salt used in generation;
c. The installation of the appliance is accompanied by the simultaneous installation of the following softened or conditioned water conservation devices on all fixtures using softened or conditioned water, unless such devices are already in place or are prohibited by local and state plumbing and building standards or unless such devices will adversely restrict the normal operation of such fixtures:
i. Faucet flow restrictors.
ii. Shower head restrictors.
iii. Toilet reservoir dams.
iv. A piping system installed so that untreated (unsoftened or unconditioned) supply water is carried to hose bibs and sill cocks which serve water to the outside of the house, except that bypass valves may be installed on homes with slab foundations constructed prior to the date of installation; or condominiums constructed prior to the date of installation; or otherwise, where a piping system is physically inhibited.
C. The certification required under subsection B of this section shall be provided by the new user of the appliance and shall be completed by a contractor having a valid Class C-55 water conditioning contractor's license or Class C-36 plumbing contractor's license and filed with the City's Building Division. The certification form shall contain all of the following information:
1. Name and address of homeowner;
2. Manufacturer of the water softening or conditioning appliance, model number of the appliance, pounds of salt used per regeneration, and salt efficiency rating at the time of certification;
3. Manufacturer of the water-saving devices installed, model number, and number installed; and
4. Name, address, and the specialty contractor's license number of the C-55 and C-36 licensee making the certification.
D. Any person installing or operating a water conditioning apparatus of any kind shall make such apparatus accessible to the Director for inspection at reasonable times.
E. Notwithstanding subdivision 2 of subsection B. of this section, the City may limit the availability, or prohibit the installation, of residential water softening or conditioning appliances that discharge to the POTW if Director makes all of the following findings:
1. The POTW is not in compliance with the terms of its NPDES permit;
2. Limiting the availability or installation of the appliances is the only available means of achieving compliance with waste discharge requirements issued by the Regional Board; and
3. All nonresidential sources are limited to the volumes and concentrations of saline discharges to the POTW to the extent technologically and economically feasible.
F. Notwithstanding subdivision 2 of subsection B of this section, the City may limit the availability, or prohibit the installation, of residential water softening or conditioning appliances that discharge to the POTW if Director makes all of the following findings:
1. The POTW is not in compliance with water reclamation requirements, or a master reclamation permit, issued by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with §13520) of Chapter 7 of Division 7 of the Water Code;
2. Limiting the availability or prohibiting the installation of the appliances is the only available means of achieving compliance with the water reclamation requirements or the master reclamation permit issued by the regional board; and
3. All nonresidential sources are limited to the volumes and concentrations of saline discharges to the POTW to the extent technologically and economically feasible.
(Ord. 7551 §8, 2021; Ord. 7032 §2, 2009; Ord. 6637 §2 (part), 2002; Ord. 6232 §2 (part), 1995)
Source: City of Riverside, California, Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ca/riverside/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_TIT14PUUT_CH14.12DIWAINPUSEPOINSTDRSY_DIVIIGEPR_14.12.245WASOFetched: 11/1/2026