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Culligan lobbies hard as water softeners become a drought issue; The company is fighting a state Assembly bill that would let regulators ban devices that discharge salt into municipal sewer lines, rendering water difficult to recycle

Posted by: Maven on June 26, 2009 at 7:00 am

From the Los Angeles Times:

Government bureaucrats want your water softener.

The Culligan Man is fighting back. The company behind the renowned “Hey Culligan Man!” advertising campaign of the 1950s has launched a political and public relations offensive to kill a bill targeting its signature product.

That proposal would allow regulators to ban conventional water softeners that discharge salt into municipal sewer lines. The mineral makes it tough for sanitation districts to clean and reuse their sewage, which is an increasingly crucial source of irrigation water in drought-plagued California.

The bill pits giant Culligan International Co. and smaller water-softener manufacturers and their dealers against a broad coalition of interests that includes California cities, water districts, big farming groups, chicken ranchers and even the golfing industry. “It’s a water-quality issue,” said Mike McCullough, the director of environment and water resources for the Northern California Golf Assn. “If you have better-quality recycled water, obviously the turf can respond accordingly.”

But Culligan, based in Rosemont, Ill., contends that it’s not to blame for California’s water woes. It’s portraying the legislation as a Big Government grab of private property. It’s “an unprecedented step to take something from your home that you legally purchased to better the quality of your life,” said Culligan General Counsel Susan Bennett. The privately held firm, which does not divulge sales figures, is by far the largest player in the California market.

Read more from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.

June 26, 2009 · Filed Under Water Quality

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