Fall foliage means it’s officially time to start draining and closing your pool. Whether you’re a new or seasoned pool owner, it’s always good to have a quick refresher on best practices when draining your pool. Pool water can contain 260-450 times the allowable chlorine limit for fresh water in Maine and can cause serious environmental damage.

Before draining your pool, let it sit untreated for 7-10 days so the chemicals can break down and the water can return to allowable levels. If you want to hurry along the process, consider adding a dechlorination solution.

Once your pool water is rid of chlorine, drain the water in vegetated or landscaped areas to reduce erosion, runoff, and the potential for the water to pick up other chemicals and sweep them into storm drains.

Drain your pool slowly so the ground can soak up the water and minimize the amount directly reaching waterbodies or storm drains (storm drains connect directly to rivers). Be mindful of the weather; draining a pool before or during a rainstorm maxes out the soil's absorption capacity and increases the likelihood of pool water reaching sensitive areas and not going into the ground for natural filtration.

Do not discharge your pool water into your private sewer system (it can cause failures) and always check with your local government or public works to get the specific regulations for your area.

Aside from chlorine, pool maintenance often involves various chemicals, such as algaecides and pH balancers. When closing your pool for the season, make sure to safely store or dispose of these chemicals according to local guidelines. Never pour leftover chemicals down the drain or into the soil, as they can contaminate water supplies and harm wildlife.

Draining your pool at the end of the season is an important maintenance task, but it must be done with environmental conservation in mind. By reducing chlorine levels, choosing the right drainage method, and following local regulations, you can ensure that your pool's impact on the surrounding environment is minimized.

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