How do you drain a pool in Act 2?

The need to drain your swimming pool can arise for a number of reasons. This includes the repair or removal of your pool, or the chemical levels have been continuously difficult to maintain and you have decided it is best to start over again. Either way, it is important to only drain your pool into your homes sewer drainage system. Some pools have their own sewerage connection for draining, whereas others will need to be drained manually.

Why Should I Drain my Pool into the Sewerage System?

Draining your pool into the sewerage system allows the water to be treated and re-used, producing less water wastage. The chemicals in your pool should not be drained into your stormwater system as there is no treatment done for stormwater – as the saying goes, “only stormwater down the stormwater drain.”

There are also several regulations in place across Australia that require the water to be drained into the sewerage system. The regulation, AS/NZS 3500, has several clauses as to the drainage connections as well as where the water from your swimming pool should be drained into.

How do I Drain my Swimming Pool Manually?

If your swimming pool doesn’t have any sewer connections, you will need to drain it manually. You will probably need anywhere from 1-2days to complete draining your swimming pool and filling it back up (if that is the course you are taking).

Step One: 

Get a submersible sump pump. You can usually rent or purchase one from your local hardware store (e.g. Bunnings).

Step Two:

Set up your pump and discharge hoses. Connect the hose to your sewer service draining point (inspection opening). Depending on your property, this may be located outside near your bathroom.

Step Three:

Lower the pump into the deep end of the pool and plug it in. Before turning it on, ensure that the hose is properly attached to the pump and the other end is securely in the sewer inspection opening.

Step Four: 

Monitor the discharge of water to ensure the pump is working properly and the water is flowing nicely into the sewerage service. The time it takes a pool to empty will depend on the pump speed as well as the size of your pool.

Step Five (Optional):

If you want to, as your pool is draining, you can spray down the sides of your pool to save time in the cleaning process later on.

Step Six:

Drain the last bit of water in the pool manually using buckets. How much water the pump actually drains (and how much is remaining afterwards) depends on the pools shape at the deep end.

Step Seven:

Clean your pool. Ensure you clean under the lip of the pool as well as the sides and the bottom.

Step Eight:

Refill your pool. This may take up to a day to do, dependant on the size of your pool. It is advised that you re-fill your pool as soon as possible to avoid any damage that may occur due to direct sunlight and other outside factors.

Step Nine:

Add the required chemicals or additives. It is advised that you check the chemical levels daily until they reach the proper level required for your pool – this may take a few days.

Do you need help with manually draining your swimming pool or would prefer a professional to do it? Canberra Plumbing and Drains can help you out! Give our friendly team a call on 0474 488 899 to book in your appointment today!

Emptying a Swimming Pool

Every swimming pool built or manufactured must, at one time or another, be emptied for repair or resurfacing. There is no such thing as a pool that will never need to be drained, regardless of what you may have been led to believe.

Draining a pool can cause serious damage to its structure.

Firstly...

If your concrete or gunite pool has hydrostatic relief valves (usually located near the bottom of the steep slope), remove them as soon as you can get to them while emptying the pool. If you have an operating bottom drain, remove the cover and see if it has a hydrostatic relief valve (almost all do), unscrew and remove the valve as soon as the pool is drained.

The last 30cm or so of water probably won't drain out, so be ready with a sump pump to immediately place at the drain to remove the remaining water. This is extremely important, and must be done quickly, so the bottom drain can be accessed for removal of the cover.

After opening the valve, place a pipe into the valve (about 3’ to 6’ long) and put a hose through the pipe, Bring the hose up over the top of the coping and attach a pump to draw the water from under the pool. This is just ground water, so there is no chemical content to be concerned about. Point the water flow to a drainage area away from the pool

Type of damage that can occur:

Aboveground Pools

After draining, the liner can shrink which may then tear when refilling. The older the liner, the less it will stretch when refilling. Generally if the water has been out of an above ground pool for any length of time, a new liner will be required.

Fibreglass Pools

Because fibreglass pools weigh the least, as compared to concrete or gunite, the danger of lifting is greater. Never empty a fibreglass pool during the rainy season unless the pool has a built-in system for relieving the underground water pressure (which most do). If you have standing ground water hours after it rains anytime during the year, there is a strong possibility that any pool (gunite or fibreglass) will lift.

A fibreglass pool is the most dangerous to drain and should only be done by a professional. Older pools may not have been built structurally to hold back the weight of the dirt against it when the pool is drained. This can cause the walls to collapse. These pools were backfilled with dirt as the water level came up, equalizing the pressure as it fills. A fibreglass pool must be braced if emptied.

In ground Concrete Pools

Here, you are dealing with the same groundwater problems as for a fibreglass pool. Most in- ground concrete pools are built structurally to withstand the weight of the dirt against them when drained. However, if the ground water is high enough, it can push the entire pool out of the ground. The pool shell acts like a ship and floats up in the ground water.

Bottom Line: - Do not attempt this if you are unfamiliar with the process and the risks.

Extra Tip
When telling pool owners about the above concerns, we are often asked about the hydrostatic relief valve and why this wouldn't protect the pool. A hydrostatic relief valve only allows as much water to flow through as the force of gravity permits. You are draining the pool much faster than water can flow through the hydrostatic valve. It is designed to equalize the water level in the pool to the ground water to compensate for a small leak or water loss.

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