6 Water Saving Tips For Your Pool

We all need to do our bit to save water. Not sure where to start? Follow these simple water-saving tips to find out how you can enjoy water whilst not wasting it at the same time:

Reduce evaporation

Evaporation is a major cause of water loss from swimming pools and spas however there are a number of ways you can help reduce evaporation from your pool.

• Using a pool cover can reduce evaporation from 40 - 90% depending on which one you buy.

• Using a liquid pool cover creates a chemical barrier on the water's surface reducing evaporation by up to 40%.

• Using a pool blanket can be more affordable in the long run and If used with a roller, it can be easily removed before pool use, stored safely and then spread again after you've finished swimming for the day.

• Increasing shade over your pool will reduce evaporation and protect swimmers from harsh sun rays.

• Reducing wind exposure by adding walls and hedges around your pool will help shelter it from the wind.

Reduce backwash on your filter

Sand filters require backwashing which ejects the dirt collected in the filter and drains water to waste. Backwashing only when necessary (which is indicated when the pressure gauge on your filter is 10psi above a ‘normal’) If you backwash every week in summer, This can use up to 5000L of water every year.

If you are building a new pool or replacing a current media filter, consider using a cartridge filter. These use a filter element that can be removed and hosed down when they need to be cleaned which can save lots of water.

Repair leaks

Leaks not only waste water, but can also undermine the foundations of your pool. It makes sense to keep an eye on potential leaks and have them repaired as soon as you can. Leaks in your pool can be difficult to detect but even a small leak can waste 7000 litres per year. How do you locate a leak? Firstly, you will need to identify if the leak is coming from the pool plumbing or the pool structure. These simple steps can help you identify the location of a leak:

1. Fill the pool to its normal level and mark it with a piece of duct tape.

2. With your filter system running, wait 12 to 24 hours then check to see if the water level has dropped significantly.

3. Refill the pool back to the original level of the duct tape and with the filter system off. Wait the same amount of time (also over the same part of the day, i.e. 8 am-8 pm) and measure the water loss again.

4. If you are losing more water with the filter system running, the leak is on the pressure side of your plumbing somewhere PAST the impeller of the pump.

5. If you are losing less water with the filter system not running, the leak is on the vacuum side of your plumbing somewhere BEFORE the impeller of the pump.

6. If the water loss is the same, the leak is more likely in the structure of the pool, however, plumbing leaks should not be ruled out.

7. If a leak is detected soon after the construction of the pool, the owner should contact the builder to investigate.