Is water taste an indication that my softener is failing?
I have a water softener unit that would put a bad taste in the water after the regeneration cycle, although I could flush it out in a few minutes versus a couple of days. I fixed it by replacing the valve mechanism at the top of the tank - the valves had become clogged with sediment and weren't closing properly, thereby allowing the salt-infused water to enter the drinking water pipes. Replacing the valve system cleared up the problem for me.

I found the product I needed and instructions by searching for the water softener model on the internet. This may be an easier and less expensive fix than replacing the whole unit.