Many average swimming pools have a capacity of thousands of gallons of water. If you’re new to pool ownership, it may be shocking to see how much your bill is when you’re filling up the pool.
How do you think they get all of that pool water in there? Is there a way to save more money on pool water? Let’s take a deeper look at pool water delivery and some of the best alternatives to filling up your pool.
Where Do You Get Pool Water From?
There are many ways to fill an empty swimming pool, with different costs and different considerations. While each pool, household, and situation is different, here’s a look at the most common pool water delivery each pool owners need.
Municipal Water and Hose
You can always attach a hose to an outdoor tap and start filling the pool with municipal water.
Cost: An average household in the United States uses approximately 12,000 gallons of water each month. So depending on the size and volume of your pool, expect that your water bill in the coming month is roughly double that of the previous one. Some cities may also add extra fees for the additional sewer fee.
Time: It may sound shocking, but it can take up to 24 hours just to fill up a standard pool with a garden hose.
Considerations: It would be best for you to call your local water company or utility desk and ask them for rates for filling up your swimming pool.
They will provide you a quote for the total costs and may give you a discount for sewer fees if they know you’re filling a pool. On the other hand, if you dwell in an area prone to water shortage or rationing, they may charge you extra for filling the pool or perhaps stop you from using the sewer to fill the pool at all.
Public Water From a Fire Hydrant
This method is more uncommon, but some cities have implemented this for their residents. All you have to do is attach a hose to a fire hydrant and start filling the pool. This is a great way to save some bills on pool water, especially if you live in a city with a high water price.
Cost: There’s no way of knowing the exact price, but it’s usually around $10 to fill up a swimming pool using this method. In other cities, they charge for the cost of water, or perhaps you may hire the hoses and pay for access to the fire hydrants. In some cities, doing this can get you arrested for even just trying.
Time: It could take considerably fewer hours because a good working fire hydrant can deliver about 1,500 GPM. However, it would be great if you didn’t fill up your pool with fire hydrant water at the max pressure, even though it’s the quickest way to do it.
Considerations: Some fire hydrants are equipped with a key lock which can get you arrested if you’re even attempting this. This is because the water pressure will be greater than the supply pipe pressure. You can also get fined for using a fire hydrant without permission.
Also, if you have a fire hydrant next to your home, it may be worth it to give your local fire department a call and ask for even the slightest possibility. There are vast variations of rules to use a fire hydrant, so it doesn’t hurt to try and ask.
Well Water
You’re in luck if you have well water on your property, but of course, there are limitations. Well water is often contaminated with minerals and metals, so you’ll have to treat it before filling your pool with it. Though a bit of a hassle, well water is a cheap alternative for people who might not have access to local water supply or hose hook-ups
Cost: Well water is free to use, so the only price you’d have would be for the pressure pump. However, there’s a huge chance that you’ll put extra strain on your well pump and softening system, which can shorten the longevity of your pool equipment and could increase the cost of electricity for the month.
Time: Depending on how fast your well pump is, you can usually fill up a large pool in just one morning. Some who have lived out in the country will point out that it’s way faster than filling up a pool with a hose outside your house.
Considerations: There are some concerns with using well water, primarily because piping may become clogged over time.
This also depends on what kind of soil you have around your property, and some minerals may make it harder to filter out contaminants within the well water itself. Also, well water is much more complicated than your local water because it contains more minerals, sulfur, and other elements not good for your pool. If this is the situation, you might have trouble chemically balancing your pool water.
Pool Water Delivery Service
A pool water delivery service is one of the most convenient ways for filling the pool with water. Almost as convenient as ordering from Amazon, you can get water delivered straight to your swimming pool. This service will bring a tank load of water to your backyard and use high-capacity hoses to fill up your pool quickly.
Also, you may even ask some companies to deliver pre chlorinated water to reduce your time testing and balancing your water. A pool water delivery service might be your only option in some cities with a water shortage or rationing.
Cost: Delivery costs depend on your pool’s size and if you’re going with the balancing and pre-treating option.
Time: If you’re using this method to fill up your pool water, you should be able to fill an average-sized pool within a couple of hours. However, most companies will recommend having a minimum depth of 5 feet for the swimming pool or 6,000 – 8,000 gallons.
Considerations: It’s an excellent idea to give your local water delivery companies a call and request a quote before making the final decision. You can compare quotes and ask them to provide you with a quote for the pre-chlorination, balancing, and delivery service if you’re planning to use them.
We like pool delivery services because they are professionals who are knowledgeable at filling pools. They will also be using the right amount of pressure to not damage your pool liner.
Some Tips Before You Start Filling The Pool
Whatever pool water delivery method you pick, seasoned pool owners advise securing some sturdy fabric at the end of the garden hose to soften the blow of the water pressure. Also, to prevent damage to the liner, you can fill the bottom of your pool with 2-6 inches of water.
There are various reasons why this is an excellent idea. To name a few, this opens opportunities to:
- Check your pool liner. This is a great opportunity to inspect your pool liner for any leaks that would be hard to spot when your pool is full of water.
- Smoothen out cracks and wrinkles. If you’ve spotted some creases and wrinkles in your pool, now’s the time to smooth them out. Once the pool is loaded with water, there’s no way to remove the wrinkles unless you drain entirely out of your pool.
- Lower pressure. Filling up even inches of water in your pool can reduce and even out the pressure. This reduces the risk of damage because of high-pressure water flow.
“If it’s your first time to fill your above-ground pool with water or have recently replaced the pool liner, keep a close look on the liner as you fill the pool with water. It’s best not to fill the pool too fast because this can taut and wrinkle your liner.”
Matt Giovanisci, founder of Swim University®
Bottom Line
More than anything, the decision of what water source to use in your pool often falls to the cost and convenience. It will help if you go for the one that best suits your budget and schedule. If you’re looking for a reliable method, you should use a pool water delivery.
Your local water delivery service might provide you with the pool chemicals needed to treat your water before it goes into your pool. You’ll also get a much higher pressure than what’s available through well water.
If you dwell in an area with a water shortage, this is also something to consider. For the biggest bang for your buck, well water is probably your best choice because it’s cheap enough and there are no restrictions. We hope this article has helped you decide what you should use to fill up your pool.
You can find great pool articles on our website. Swimming pools aren’t as hard to maintain as you might think. Listed below are a few tips to get you started. Keep your pool clean and safe.