How to empty a swimming pool?

Sometimes the pool has to be emptied. Either because the water has become very dirty and it has to be changed, or because the decision has simply been made to remove it to perhaps put a rockery with succulents, the truth is that removing the water is a task that may seem complex at first, but that is not at all. In fact, it can be even relaxing.

But there are some things to keep in mind before emptying the pool. For example, we must know where we are going to pour the water that we remove, because if we have been treating it with chlorine or other products, it is water that cannot be used for irrigation and that, in addition, we will have to be careful to pour it into the soil, as it could seep into aquifers and contaminate them.

For this reason, we are going to start the article at the end:

What to do with the pool water?

A construction pool is not the same as a removable one. While the drainage of the construction pools must be connected to the sewage network since it contains harmful substances and, therefore, cannot be mixed with rainwater (and it is also prohibited), in the case of removable pools Although they have an opening through which the hose is inserted that will help us to empty it, it is not always possible to throw away the water.

So, if what we have is a removable pool, whether it is inflatable or not, we can reuse it to water the plants. But before that, wait for the chlorine to drop to an amount of 0,3mg / liter of water (you can see it with a meter that they sell here!), and the active oxygen disappears.

Another way to know that it will be ready to water is, although in practice it is uncomfortable and even annoying, to see if mosquitoes breed in that water. Be careful, I am not saying that you have to let these insects proliferate as they can pose a health risk, but rather that if for whatever reason we have neglected and there are already some larvae, that is an indicator that the water is ready to be used for watering.

Still, it is highly recommended to bring it to a boil first, then let it cool, and then do tests with just one or two plants. If you see that nothing is wrong with them, great: you can keep the water in bottles for example, or jerry cans. But if not, you will have to have a little more patience.

How to empty the pool water?

If you have to empty the pool, you can do it as follows:

With hose

If your pool is removable, as it does not have a drain through which to drain the water, you will have to use a hose. Do it as follows:

1. First, you have to fill the hose with water.
2. Then plug it at one end with your thumb.
3. Finally, you have to throw the water into a jerrycan or bottle.

With pump

To drain the pool water with a submersible pump It is necessary that there is an electrical supply where to connect it to work. In my case, as there is no electricity in the garden, what I do is connect it to a generator. Then, the steps to follow are:

1. We connect a hose to the pump.
2. Next, we put the pump into the pool, ensuring that it is slightly above the pool floor.
3. Then we start the generator.
4. And finally, we are filling containers with the water that comes out of the hose.

How long does it take to empty a pool?

The time it takes varies depending on the size of the pool, the liters of water it contains, and how the water is extracted (if it is with a hose, with buckets, or with a pump). For example, to give you an idea, the pool in the garden has a capacity of 3000 liters, and is about 3 meters in diameter by 1,60 meters high.

We empty it using a submersible well pump whose approximate power is 1kw (it is quite similar to the one they sell here!). AND It took us about 3 hours to empty it all. There is always something that must be removed with a mop and a bucket, since the water pump cannot empty the entire pool as it has to be a few inches above the ground for it to work well.

Obviously, if it is emptied manually, it takes longer. But you have to look at it on the positive side: it can be a perfect excuse to exercise, strengthen the muscles of the arms and swimming pools, and keep the blood circulation of the whole body active, something that always goes well.

What happens if a pool is emptied?

Unless your pool is removable and you want to store it until the good weather returns, or you have a construction site that you have thought you are going to turn into a rockery (for example), it is not a good idea to keep it empty for a long time.

In the event that it is removableHowever resistant plastic it may be, in the end it ends up being damaged by the impact of the sun’s rays: it becomes thinner and breaks, so to use it again you will have to buy new covers. Therefore, if you are going to empty it, store it in a place protected from the sun as soon as possible.

Furthermore, if your pool is builtIf it is not waterproofed, the exposed concrete will crack. So we do not advise that it be empty for more than a month.

We hope these tips have helped you.