The colder temperatures are sneaking in and the leaves are starting to fall. For some residents, these are the necessary reminders that summer fun is down the drain, and it’s time to empty the swimming pool.

This is also the time of year when the Kane County Division of Environmental & Water Resources starts receiving phone calls about drainage concerns — often from the next-door neighbors of pool owners.

Swimming pools are filled with chlorinated water. When this water is discharged directly to surface waters — including lakes, rivers, streams, ponds, and wetlands—it can negatively impact our waterways and be toxic to fish and other wildlife. Discharging swimming pool water into storm drains or drainage ditches can be equally harmful since these storm drains and ditches connect directly to our surface waters.

“If you have a swimming pool — either above ground or in-ground — or a hot tub, it is important that you properly drain it,” explains Rob Linke, a water resources engineer with the Kane County Division of Environmental & Water Resources. “Negative impacts from draining swimming pools can easily be avoided if owners are responsible and follow some simple guidelines.”

If you put pool water into a sanitary sewer, the chlorine can adversely affect the beneficial microorganisms at the wastewater treatment plant that biodegrade the wastewater.

Steps for Draining Your Pool

• De-chlorinate the pool water prior to draining it. Chemicals that will quickly remove chlorine are available through pool and spa care vendors. Carefully follow the directions on the product label.

or

• Drain the pool over a period of several days ACROSS your lawn following these rules:
  • Allow the water to sit for at least 2 days in the sunlight, and without further addition of chlorine or bromine.
  • It is highly recommended that you test the chlorine level to ensure that a safe level of below 0.1 mg/L is reached before draining the water.
• Direct the drainage across your lawn, and NOT down your driveway, into a storm drain, or directly to wetlands or other water bodies.

• Do NOT drain your water onto public property or another person’s property.
• Do NOT drain your water directly into a private septic system.

Additional Pool Tips

Always be sure to follow the operation and maintenance instructions for your particular swimming pool. If you plan to use the pool the following year, it may actually be better to leave some water in it.

• Above ground pools can benefit from the weight of the water, and are better able to withstand potential damage from harsh winds in the winter when still partially filled.
• Leaving an in-ground pool partially filled can help prevent structural damage. During high groundwater periods, the water table can get high enough to push the shell of an in-ground pool up out of the ground.

Lastly, remember that your pool filters have chemical residue on them. Wash them out in a utility sink or bath tub so that the water is discharged to the sanitary sewer system.

Pools can be a lot of fun—just make sure you properly winterize them to help protect Kane County’s valuable water resources!

About the Kane County Division of Environmental & Water Resources

The Kane County Division of Environmental & Water Resources develops, evaluates, and implements programs to protect the health, safety and welfare of our residents and the environment. These programs include the countywide Stormwater Management program, the Kane County Recycles recycling and waste recovery programs, the electric aggregation program, the Sustain Kane program, and other resource conservation and environmental projects.​​​​