Certified Water Technologist (CWT) Practice Exam 2025 - Free Water Technologist Practice Questions and Study Guide

The desired salt concentration in the brine tank is typically between 24 and 26 percent. This concentration is optimal for most water softening and desalination processes that utilize brine solutions. At this concentration, the brine remains sufficiently saturated to ensure effective ion exchange while also promoting the efficiency of the processes that depend on high salinity levels.

Salt concentrations lower than this range may not provide the necessary ionic strength required for effective operation, potentially leading to inadequate performance or insufficient regeneration of the water softening media. Conversely, concentrations that exceed this range may introduce operational challenges, such as increased viscosity and difficulty in handling the brine.

In summary, a brine concentration of 24 to 26 percent allows for effective performance in applications requiring high salinity while avoiding the complications associated with very high or very low salt levels.