Are you envisioning a summer full of pool days, sitting on a float with a cold drink in hand? It’s possible if you have a pool with a well! Filling your pool with well water is highly cost-effective. It’s completely doable if you give the process the proper time and attention.
We haven’t gotten a pool yet, but my wife is super excited about the idea. So, I did some deep digging to find out everything we need to know about having a pool with a well. In this article, I’ll share everything I have learned.
Pool With a Well: Before You Start
Are you the type to toss out the instruction manual and just start going after it? Well, slow down a bit because using a well for your pool should be a thoroughly-planned project. Here are a few key considerations before jumping in.
Location, Size, & Well Flow Rate
If you plan to have a pool with a well, pay close attention to the location and size of both the pool and the well! If your pool is still in the imagination or pre-excavation stages, stop and analyze.
How many gallons will your pool be? Now, you need to find out the water capacity of the nearby well to see if it can sustain your pool.
On a similar note, you’ll need to check the well’s flow rate. Flow rate refers to two things. First, it’s the rate you can extract well water. To put it even more simply, it’s the number of gallons per minute or hour.
Second, it’s the rate that the well fills back up with groundwater. If neither of these is any good, then your well probably won’t sustain your pool. For reference, your pool will likely need somewhere around 20,000 gallons to fill if it’s an average size.
So, if you have a relatively flat area to put the pool, assess your well’s flow rate. Depending on the pool size you want, it could take days or even weeks to fill your pool. If you have a low flow rate, are you prepared to spend that time filling the pool?
Legal Issues
The law helps us, but I’m sure you know dealing with regulations and codes can be a headache! Get off on the right foot with your pool by checking local laws. Are there permits required to fill your pool with well water?
Note that the size of your pool and how much water you use could make a difference.
Equipment Needed
So, what equipment do you need for this operation? Check out this list for the most critical components.
Pump: I’ve listed this one first because it’s the most crucial piece of equipment you’ll need to fill your pool from your well. Choose a pump that can deliver the water volume and pressure you need. When in doubt, touch base with a professional well installer or pool contractor. They’ll help you select the right pump!
Pressure Tank: This may already be installed in your well system. No doubt, it’s necessary to regulate water pressure in your home and pool. Basically, it helps keep a constant flow of water. It also helps your pump last longer by reducing the number of times it has to turn on and off.
Pipes and Fittings: These pieces of equipment connect the pump to your well and your pool. I recommend using pipes large enough to hold the required flow rate. Also, they should be made of materials compatible with well water, like PVC.
Pool-Filling Hose: Here’s the final piece of the puzzle! The pool-filling hose connects the pool to your well system. So, I’d say it’s pretty important. You’ll want to make sure the hose is long enough to reach from the pool to the well.
How to Fill the Pool with Well Water
Check Your Well Capacity
First, find out if your well has enough water capacity to fill your pool. How, you may ask? It’s not too hard at all. You can simply have a well professional check your well’s capacity and ensure it functions correctly.
Prepare Your Pool
Next, carefully prepare the pool. If it’s brand new, it might already be squeaky clean. Either way, make sure it’s free of any debris before filling it. Check the pool’s drain to ensure it’s open and blockage-free.
Connect the Pump
Now, it’s time to connect the pump to your well. Just like we talked about above, make sure to use pipes and fittings that are compatible with well water. Check that they’re appropriately sized for your flow rate.
Connect the Hose
Next, you’ll want to connect the hose from the pool filling point to the well pump. Use a pool-filling hose made of pool-safe materials. Of course, you’ll have to make sure they’re long enough to reach your pool’s filling point.
Turn on the Pump
Once everything is connected, it’s time to get the pool-filling party started! Turn on the pump and let the water start filling up that pool. I recommend monitoring the filling process and adjusting the pump’s speed as needed to ensure the water fills at a decent rate.
Check the Chemical Balance
Don’t skip this essential step! Once your pool is full, check the chemical balance of the water. It’ll be easy to get your hands on a pool testing kit to check the pH level and chlorine levels and adjust as needed.
Backwash the Filter
After filling your pool, you should backwash the filter to clean out any debris or dirt that may have entered the pool during the filling process. Backwash systems usually have a valve that lets water flow backward through the filter to flush out any debris.
Water Testing Process
We touched on this above, but I’m providing more details about the water testing process here because it’s such a critical part of having a pool with a well. Bad water can ruin your pool.
If the water has too high of a metal count, it’ll permanently stain those beautiful pool walls. You’ll be stuck with a hefty bill to drain, clean, and refill the pool. Let’s avoid that!
To test your well water, scoop a sample from your newly filled pool. Use that testing kit you snagged before starting the process to test pH levels, making sure they’re between 7.2 and 7.8. You can also test chlorine levels. Ideally, your chlorine level will be between 1 and 3 parts per million (ppm).
You’ll also want to assess your pool’s alkalinity and calcium hardness. Alkalinity keeps those pH levels stable, and calcium hardness prevents pool corrosion. After you make adjustments, I recommend waiting until the next day to retest.
Also, you can install a water treatment system to ensure that your pool water is clean and safe for swimming. Standard water treatment systems for pools include chlorination, ozone, and UV systems.
From Murky to Sparkling: Clearing Brown Pool Water with Video Guidance
In this video, a pool owner demonstrates filling a pool with well water. He explains how his neighbor, who filled his pool with well water about nine months ago, warned him about his experience.
The neighbor’s pool water turned brown due to the iron content and required draining, acid washing, and refilling with water from a supply company, which was costly.
To avoid these issues, he researched filters that can remove iron and other impurities during pool filling.
In this video, different pool owners solve the same problem without commercial filters. They demonstrate how to transform your pool water from brown to clear in just a few days.
Discover the magic of a simple 5-gallon bucket and learn the steps to achieve crystal-clear pool water!
Conclusion
By now, you should have a solid understanding of what it takes to have a pool with a well. As you can see, there are many factors to think about before you get started. However, when you address everything from pool size to flow rate to water testing, you’ll cover the bases and achieve a pretty smooth pool-filling process!