Since the recent drought in South Africa and because we care about our environment, more and more people are enlisting water saving techniques to assist in maintaining and preserving our most precious resource.
As a pool owner, you would have noticed, particularly in Summer, how water seems to slowly but regularly vanish from your swimming pool. This is due to evaporation, which could cause you to lose between 8 000 to 10 000 litres a year! Crazy right?
Implementing a few water saving techniques can both help you save water and money, while at the same time, making your pool environmentally friendly.
Reduce Water Waste
The most effective and sensible option for saving water is a pool cover. This can reduce water evaporation by up to 90 percent. The thickness of the cover would determine how effective it is at reducing evaporation. Leaf covers reduce evaporation by about 40 percent whereas thicker blankets give a higher evaporation yield. Used regularly, covers have the added benefit of also reducing your pool chemical bills by keeping leaves and debris out of the pool when it’s not in use.
Creating wind blocks through the use of solid fence enclosures, large rocks around your pool and shrubbery all help to lessen evaporation too.
Upgrading your pool filter from a sand filter, which can waste up to 8000 litres of water a year, to a cartridge filter, which does not require backwashing, is another water saving technique.
If yours is a heated pool, the warmer the water, the faster it evaporates. Lower the temperature of your pools heater to slow the evaporation process.
Identifying and repairing any leaks will prevent both water loss and further damage to your pool. If you suspect a leak be sure to give your pool specialist a call as soon as possible.
Sure, splashing makes a swimming pool extra fun but if you’re really focused on water saving techniques, try limiting games that produce excessive splashing.
Use Less Municipal Water
When it comes to water saving techniques, keeping your pool topped up can often be a concern, especially if you want to keep your water bill down at the same time.
Harvesting rainwater is a great way to keep your swimming pool topped up among other things by utilising all that water that would otherwise just disappear as stormwater runoff. The best way to do this is to install a rainwater tank or tanks.
Adding a rain diverter device to your rainwater tank system will make sure that the rainwater is filtered before it enters the storage tank which will remove any dirt, debris, insects and other pollutants. Pumping good quality water into your swimming pool means using fewer chemicals and reduces the need for additional backwashing.
Renovation Water Recycling
Should you have to renovate your pool for repairs or because it needed a make-over, what do you responsibly do with all that water?
If you can get hold of a portable water bladder, these come in various sizes, your pool water can easily be saved and then returned to your pool afterwards. Alternatively, you could also store your pool water in a few covered porta pools for the duration of your renovation.
Pool Spa has knowledgeable staff who can provide you with great advice when it comes to swimming pool water saving techniques to suit both your needs and your budget. Chat to one of our experts today. Visit us at www.poolspa.co.za
