How to Drain an In-Ground Pool Plus Cautions

There are many reasons to drain an in-ground swimming pool.

If your in-ground pool has a built-in drainage system, as most pools do, simply open the drain at the bottom of the pool and watch the water level go down. If your pool does not have such a drain, you'll need to pump the pool dry. Before you get started, make sure you understand the process and the warnings to ensure you do not damage your pool or the surrounding areas.

Things You'll Need

• Waste pump

Instructions

1. Contact your city permit department and determine if a permit is required for draining a pool. Also inquire about regulations such as pump size, water decontamination and where you can drain the water. For example, the City of Tempe, Arizona, allows owners of pools with fewer than 35,000 gallons of water to drain the water into a city street after neutralizing chlorine. If you drain your pool without the proper permits or precautions, you can be levied large fines by the city.

2. Add chlorine removal chemicals into the pool water if required by city ordinance. This prevents the chlorinated water from draining into city sewage or onto other people's property. You can obtain neutralizing chemicals from a pool supply store.

3. Connect the drainage hoses to the intake and drain ports on the waste pump. Use a hose long enough to lie across the bottom of the pool floor to ensure you drain out all of the water. If the hose does not run across the bottom of the floor, the hose opening could suction against a liner and possibly damage the pool.

4. Position the waste pump in an area where it will not get wet. Do not use an electric pump. Instead, use a gas-powered waste pump to minimize the risk of shock if the pump gets wet. Again, if your city ordinance restricts horsepower and flow rate, make sure your pump meets the requirements.

5. Turn on the pump and drain the water. Position the drainage hose away from any septic systems or leach beds in your yard or adjacent yards. The chlorine in the water can damage the biological balance in these systems and cause extensive damage. If you removed the chlorine, this is not a major concern. If city ordinance requires a specific drainage location, such as into the street, follow those guidelines.

6. Watch the intake hose as the pool drains to make sure it does not suction onto the sidewall or bottom of the pool. If it does, pull on the hose to release the suction.

7. Ensure that water draining out of the pool does not flood an area. If flooding occurs, stop pumping until the water outside the pool dissipates, then continue pumping.

Tips & Warnings

• If your pool has a liner, do not leave the pool empty for more than a few hours. Pool liners dry out, shrink and even crack if left dry for too long. If your pool does not have a liner, you can leave it empty.

• If you find that you have no place to drain the water--due to geography or city ordinance--you may have to contact a specialist to remove the water via tanker truck.

References

• Wet Head Media: How to Drain Any Swimming Pool
• City of Tempe, Arizona: Water Drainage Code

Resources

• CSG Network: Pool Chemical Conditions Calculator