In simple terms, you cannot drain pool water into the streets, curbs, catch basins, gutters, ditches, channels, and ultimately, into storm drains (which flow directly into local streams)!
The best way to drain the pool is to empty it directly into the sanitary sewer line outside your home. The process is simple but can be time-consuming, depending on how fast you are able to pump the water.
It is important to remember the motto “Only Rain in the Storm Drain” even when performing this maintenance. In many cities or towns, it is a code violation to discharge backwash water from your property into a public right-of-way like an alley, road, or arroyo.
Flooding Your Grass Is Not A Good Idea
The problem with draining your pool in the yard, if permitted by your local water regulatory laws, is that it will quickly reach its saturation level and increase the risk of flooding your lawn, drowning the roots of your grass, and attracting mosquitoes.
A freshly chlorinated pool should not be discharged into the yard; the chlorine is harmful to yard plants and the environment as a whole. Using a test kit, your pool water needs to reflect a certain concentration of chlorine, such as 0.1 ppm (parts per million), before it is safe to drain into your yard.
All you need is a medium-size water or vacuum pump. Unroll the pump's intake hose so that it reaches the center of the pool (or as close to it as possible), and submerge it in the pool. Place the outlet hose so the exiting water doesn't flood the area, but drains off away from the pool.
Household sink or bathtub - Yes, seriously! Run the garden hose between your pool and your sink or tub and start the flow! This will direct the water to the sanitary sewers.
Did you know it is illegal in Collier County to discharge your pool or spa water into the stormwater system or sanitary sewer system? Draining your pool or spa water into the street, sewer system or storm water system can wreak havoc on the environment if it's not done properly.
Put one end of your garden hose inside the port. Thread the hose to the back of your house. Attach the other end of the garden hose to a submersion pump and place the hose and pump in the deepest area of your pool, near the drain. The pool will begin to drain.
If you can pump around 30 GPM (gallons per minute), which is also equivalent to 1800 GPH (gallons per hour), it should take you 2.78 hours or 2 hours and 46 minutes to drain your pool using a hose.
Even though you can drain your above-ground pool without worrying about the permanent damage to which inground pools are suseptible, that doesn't mean it's something you want. If you absolutely do need to drain your pool, make sure that each of the items on this checklist apply first.
A 10,000 gallon pool will take about 14 hours to drain, the maximum rate recommended by the City of Phoenix. It will take twice as long to drain if the pool size is doubled or cut in half.
Though it's illegal to discharge swimming pool/spa backwash and drainage water off your property, in general you can dump this water into the public sewers. You can also reuse this water to help your thirsty plants! Emptying a Pool/Spa the Plant-Friendly Way: Draining an Aboveground Pool/Spa 1.
Chlorine and other water chemicals may damage or kill your grass. To protect your lawn, when you are almost ready to drain your hot tub, refrain from adding any chlorine or other chemicals to the water for at least two days prior.
Drain the water down to no more than 6 inches from the bottom of the skimmer if you plan to use a standard floating winter cover. Use your pool filter, switched to the "Drain" setting, to empty the pool water. Attach a pool hose to the end of the filter opening that leads to your yard's drain to avoid flooding.
When heavy rainfall or an acute chemical imbalance requires a reduction in water volume, it's easier on the pump to remove the excess from the pool manually. As long as you have a place to drain the water that is lower in elevation than the water level you want the in the pool, a siphon is the easiest method.
Locate the Drain Valve
The drain valve is located on the outside of the pool. Run a garden hose out, with the female end near the drain valve. Connect the other end to a sprinkler, and water your lawn or garden (if pH is good and chlorine low). Remove the cap.
In most situations, your pool water will have no effect on the grass growing around your swimming pool. Dripping swim trunks and splashes from diving and gameplay aren't going to have a significant enough effect on the grass or soil to make a difference.
Simply stop adding chlorine to your uncovered pool and wait. Sunlight will help to naturally dissipate the chlorine within 10 days. During that time, use a swimming pool test kit to measure chlorine. Chemically dechlorinate the pool water.
Most in-ground pools will have to be drained and refilled at some point. But cleaning should not be the reason to do it. Pools will need to be drained and refilled every 5-7 years on average, or if there is a major necessary repair. Otherwise, avoid draining your pool if at all possible.
Main drains are not required in an inground swimming pool, however, they are strongly recommended and can be extremely useful in some circumstances. The advantages of main drains are to give you the ability to drain the water from your pool without the use of a sump pump. This is useful when replacing your pool liner.
During normal operation, water flows to the filtering system through two or more main drains at the bottom of the pool and multiple skimmer drains around the top of the pool. The main drains are usually located on the lowest point in the pool, so the entire pool surface slants toward them.