Depending on where you live, you’ve probably noticed by now that fresh water comes with a price. In fact, it’s not exactly cheap in some areas. This is one of the reasons why you don’t want to waste any of it during the swimming season. Just remember, the more water you conserve, the more money you’ll save in the long run and the more environmentally friendly you’ll be.
Most swimming pools lose water due to things such as splashing, leaks, filter backwashing and by natural evaporation. It may seem like your losing just a small amount of water in each instance, but it can certainly add up over time to hundreds or even thousands of gallons and this can become quite expensive.
Excessive Splashing
While it’s great to see the kids having fun and splashing about in the pool you should try to prevent other types of avoidable and/or unnecessary splashing. If you have a waterfall or fountain installed in the pool make sure the water actually stays in the pool and isn’t being wasted by excessive splashing. You should also turn these devices off when you’re not using the pool. In addition, if the water level in the pool is relatively low it won’t pour out over the sides during regular swimming and diving activity.
Pool Leaks
The dreaded pool leak can also cause you to lose water at a steady rate. This is often a double jeopardy situation since you’ll lose water and the leak may also cost money to repair. Statistics show that about three in every 10 swimming pools leaks water. The majority of them are minor and small, but you’re still losing water and money at the same time. It’s a god idea to check your pool for a leak by making a mark at the water level near the skimmer. If the water level falls by a considerable amount by the next day, especially if the pool’s not running, then there’s a good chance it’s leaking.
Unless you’re an expert handyman, it’s always best to have a professional swimming pool company investigate the cause of the problem and have them repair it as soon as possible. It will cost a bit of money, but there’s not really any other option as you’ll continue to lose water and end up paying for it that way in the long run. Repairing the leak will also extend the life of the lining and the pool itself.
Backwashing the filter
Each time you backwash the average swimming pool sand filter you lose about a 100 gallons of water per minute. Therefore, when you backwash you shouldn’t do it any longer than is really necessary. Once the water in the filter’s sight glass looks clear you should stop. If you keep the pool and filter clean and in good working condition you shouldn’t have to backwash as often.
Evaporation
The rate of evaporation generally depends on the climate you live in as the sun and wind can make pool water disappeared silently and without a trace. For example, if you leave an 18 by 36-foot pool uncovered all summer long it can lose approximately an inch of water each week, which work dot to about 7,000 gallons each swimming season. If you live in a hot and dry climate this number could increase by 300 or 400 percent.
The best way to make sure you’re not losing water due to evaporation is to keep your swimming pool covered with a solar blanket or liquid solar cover when you’re not using it. Also, if you’re using a heater to warm up the water, try to keep it as low as you possibly can. Another way to cut down on evaporation is to cut down on the wind by blocking it from your pool area. This can be done by placing a fence, boulders, or shrubbery etc. around the perimeter.
If you can cut down on backwashing, splashing, evaporation and leaks you should be able to save a considerable amount of money and water while doing so.
