Draining a pool
Never drain a pool into the street. Draining pool water into the street hurts the environment and is a violation of local codes. Draining pool water into the sewer system allows the water to be treated and recycled. In an effort to keep our creeks clean and healthy, the City of Concord (Municipal Code, Section 86-35) prohibits discharging of pool water into the storm drain system including filter backwash water.
Pool water should only be discharged into the sewer clean-out where water will be treated before it's discharged into the creeks, delta and bay. There is no additional sewer service charge for this. For assistance in locating a clean-out, residents should contact the Concord Permit Center at (925) 671-3454. New swimming pools may be filled at any time. Existing pools may only be drained and refilled with a permit from Central Contra Costa Sanitary Service. Central Contra Costa Sanitary Service prohibits draining pools without a permit. The City of Concord's storm drain system flows directly into local creeks, delta, and San Francisco Bay. To keep our local waterways healthy, it's important to keep all pollutants, including pool chlorine and copper algaecides out of storm drains.
Swimming and spa pool water contains chemicals such as chlorine and copper. These chemicals are used to treat the water to kill harmful bacteria and algae. If this treated water is discharged into stormwater systems or streams, it will harm or kill fish and other aquatic life.
Guidelines
- Filtered backwash water must not be discharged into the stormwater system. Where possible you should discharge it to the sewer via appropriate plumbing. If your property is not sewered, you will need to consider suitable land disposal for soakage.
- If there is no sanitary sewer available, pool overflow water should be discharged onto land or other surface soakage where there is no chance of it running off into streets or adjacent properties. (See below)
- It's important to maintain the proper chemical balance and filtration in a pool year round. Doing so will decrease the need to drain the pool. Also, use copper algaecides only as a last resort. Try using less toxic alternatives first.
- Wherever possible use the sanitary sewer when draining your pool. The sewer system is designed to remove many pollutants from water. Draining should be done via pool plumbing, a gully trap or sink. If you need to discharge at a high rate, you will need to obtain specific approval from the Contra Costa Central Sanitary Service. Do not discharge pool water when it's raining.
- Let the water sit for two weeks without adding any chemicals before draining. Some pool shops sell Dechlorinator (Sodium Thiosulphate), which is used to remove chlorine. Products such as "Pool Magnet" (Phosphonic Acid) help remove metals such as copper
- Have your pool's water tested by a pool maintenance professional to ensure the chlorine concentration is less than 0.5ppm and the copper level is less than 0.2ppm.
- Dispose of wastewater from washing cartridge filters onto a grassed area or discharge to sewer.
- Put used diatomaceous earth filter medium into the rubbish.
Remember that stormwater drains do not remove pollutants from water before it is discharged into creek, delta, and bay. If water has pollutants, it must not be discharged to the stormwater system.
How to Drain a Pool
- Shut off the power to the circulation system at the circuit breaker.
- Locate the clean-out port to access the sanitary sewer line. The port is usually located in the ground and close to the home in the front yard-it may be near a water spigot. The port should have a rubber or threaded cap with a square wrench fitting and should be three to four inches in diameter. If you can't locate the port, contact a plumber. Caution: Using a clean-out in the wall creates greater potential for water to back up into the house.
Run a drainage hose from the sewer clean-out port to the pool, and connect it to a submersible pump. Lower the pump into the deepest part of the pool, near the drain. As you begin draining, monitor the water's flow into the clean-out port to ensure that the water doesn't back up. If the water begins to back up, stop draining and contact a professional plumber. The maximum recommended discharge rate is 12 gallons per minute. - After draining your pool, refill it as soon as possible. Direct sunlight can damage the plaster in your pool if it's left exposed. It may take a few days for the fresh water to reach the proper chemical levels, so check the levels every day for a week and add chemicals as needed.
- If you're unsure about draining your pool, or you'd like assistance, contact a professionally-licensed pool service company or plumber. By following these guidelines, you can ensure your drained pool water is properly treated and recycled.
To discharge pool water on your property for infiltration:
- Check for instability problems (slippage, erosion) in the area. If these exist, infiltrated water will worsen the situation.
- Discharge the water so it will not flow into the stormwater system or natural watercourses.
- Ensure the water does not flow off your property.
- Water should infiltrate in 72 hours to prevent mosquito breeding.
- The water temperature should be less than 75° degrees (25° Celsius).
