Water-wise swimming pools
Evaporation is a major cause of water loss from your swimming pool. Most evaporation occurs in the early evening and can be prevented by covering the pool’s surface. This lowers the pool’s temperature, decreasing evaporation while also preventing debris from falling on the pool surface.
By preventing sunlight from penetrating the water, you will also reduce the amount of chemicals needed to keep the pool clean. There are several products available, such as pool covers, pool blankets and liquid pool covers.
Increasing shade can further reduce evaporation as well as protecting swimmers from sunburn.
Installing a rainwater tank is a great way to reduce the use of mains water in your swimming pool. Rainwater diverters are an inexpensive alternative to installing a tank. They attach to a down pipe and can be used to divert rainwater into your swimming pool. In large downpours, you will need to monitor the water level in your pool so that it does not overflow. You should consult a plumber and MSC about the feasibility of stormwater diversion on your property.
Cartridge filters are the most water efficient, as they do not require backwashing. If you use sand filters there are secondary filter systems available which will allow you to return water used in back flushing to the swimming pool. Backwash sand filters once a month, stopping the backwash once the looking glass goes clear, and try to recycle backwash water on the garden.
Avoid overfilling your pool as this will prevent your filter from working effectively and will cause water to overflow. The water level should be about half way up the skimmer box opening for the filter to function properly. 
Maintenance
- Backwash only when necessary
- Check regularly for cracks and leaks
- Keep the pool and filters clean to reduce frequency of filter backwashing
- If acid has been used to clean the pool, the water should be neutralised
If your pool has gone green, you can kill the algae with a dose of chlorine. The green particles can then be removed by installing a pool filter bag on the return line. These bags can filter particles down to one micron and will allow you to reuse water from backwashing in your pool. By maintaining the correct balance of chemicals in your pool year round, you will prevent your pool water from going green over winter. Monitoring the chemicals in your pool will also prevent you from having to discard polluted water.
Water restrictions will affect how you fill a new pool or top up an existing one. Before proceeding, please check the current level of water restrictions active in the shire, and if you require further information, please contact us during business hours.
This page last updated 16 February, 2012 12:10 PM
