Friday, March 29, 2024

How to Safely Drain Your Pool

Spring is a popular time to drain your pool. If you decide to drain your pool this season, please take adequate safety measures to support proper drainage and protect the environment.

Before draining your pool, verify the pH falls between 6 and 8 and the water is free of chlorine. Both parameters can be verified with a pool test kit. If you have utilized fertilizers or pesticides on your lawn recently, please wait 24 hours after application to drain your pool.

There are two main methods to draining your pool. Select which ever method best suits your circumstance.

Through your Lawn

  1. Check to ensure your lawn is free of pet waste, natural debris, and excess fertilizer.
  2. Verify the chlorine level of your pool water is less than 0.1 parts per million (ppm). If the chlorine level is above this limit, use chemicals to dechlorinate or wait 10 days for natural dechlorination.
  3. Pump water from the deepest location of the pool to drain across your lawn. This allows for filtration and absorption.

 

Through Your Sewer System

  1. Call Southlake Public Works at 817-748-8082 before draining. This gives our department a heads up in case we notice any issues with wastewater infrastructure.
  2. Verify the chlorine level of your pool water is less than 3 parts per million (ppm). If the chlorine level is above this limit, use chemicals to dechlorinate or wait 10 days for natural dechlorination.
  3. Locate the sanitary sewer cleanout on your property. Discharge pool water into the cleanout at a rate not to exceed 50 gallons per minute.

 

For more information on draining your pool and preventing stormwater pollution, click here.