Smart Water Saving Tips For Pool Owners
On average, the normal residential pool holds between 22,000 to 60,000 liters of water. However, this amount is usually a once fill quantity and then you will only have to top up your pool water from time to time with proper maintenance. You rarely need to drain a pool even if you get algae or cloudy pool water. As a pool owner, I know you have probably searched for ways on how to save on the amount of water you use in your pool. If you have not yet got any solution, then don’t worry. We have smart water saving tips that will work for you that will not only save you money, but also be good for our earth.
Proper Filtration
In summer, its recommended that the filter should be left to run for not less than 8 hours but no more than 10 hours every day especially when the pool is in use. During this time when the pool is in heavy use, ensure you have a high quality filter to serve you well. While the filter is running, the surface of the water should be skimmed off eliminating leaves and debris before they can actually sink to the bottom of the pool. To get rid of the debris and leaves that the filter has gathered, the filter should be backwashed. This procedure takes back the flow of water through the filter and expels the dirt down through the drain. Continue the process of backwashing until all the water at the drain point is crystal clear and clean. This will take no more than two minutes. Avoid excessive backwashing as it can save you lots of water (over 2,000 liters of water!)
Leakages
Ensure you inspect around the pool for any damp areas. A damp spot could be an indication of leakage in your swimming pool. Also check whether your pool equipment has any leaks. Leakages when left for a long period of time can cause a lot of water wastage. This wastage means that you will have to dig deeper into your pockets when paying water bills.
Always use a Pool Cover
If you do not use a swimming pool cover, over half of the water in your swimming pool can evaporate within a year. By using a cover often, you will be able to decrease the evaporation rate by more than 90%. If your pool does not have a cover and it has a measurement of 18'x36', it will be losing 1 inch of water every week during summer. In a year, this will add up to a total of 7,000 gallons. This is a big waste. Other benefits of using a pool cover include:
- A pool cover helps in preserving heat
- A pool cover minimizes the growth of algae
- A pool cover reduces the amount of chemicals you may have to use
Chemical Balance You pool water chemicals should always remain well balanced. Testing your pool water chemical balances does not require rocket science. There are three important steps that you should follow:
- You begin by adjusting the total alkalinity level,
- Followed by adjusting the pH
- Finally ensuring the total amount of sanitizer is right either manually or through automatic chlorination.
Well balanced pool water chemicals significantly reduce the amount of water wasted topping up the pool each year.
Reduce the water level in your pool
Apart from only conserving water, maintaining a low water level in the pool will help in reducing water loss from too much splashing and excessive water games. It’s recommended that you maintain your water level at 1 inch below the bottom of the pool surface. Explain to your swimmers that too much splashing will cause water wastage and that they should avoid it at all costs.
Safety in the pool
Safety is an important factor that should be considered and taken care of in every swimming pool, more so where there are children using the pool. When the pool is holding a group of kids, bombing and horse play activities can go out of hand and so it’s important that they are supervised by an adult. By controlling this kind of behavior, you will not only be avoiding accidents but reducing water loss as a result of too much splashing. These 7 water saving tips not only saves you water, but is also vital for pool maintenance. So, what are you waiting for? It's time to do these small steps that can save you lots of water!
Author bio Daniel Shir is the founder of Pool University, a website dedicated to provide quality information for existing and prospective pool and spa owners. You can find simple, easy to follow guides covering topics ranging from pool chemistry, pool equipment reviews and buying guides, pool activities, pool safety, and many more.
