Swimming pools - top up

Peter 2 and Rigor,
Thanks.
I have a round downpipe a couple of metres from pool and could divert it easily.

However, i want to be able to leave whatever i put on in place if we go away for a few weeks.

Don't have room for a tank though a very small one (20/30 litres) would probably do the trick by attaching it to downpipe and having a hose run to pool to be attached to a cut out float , set at required level in pool.

Pedro

20-30 litres is probably not enough as we can lose about 25 -35mm of water out of the pool in evaporation on a hot, dry day. Which on a 30 x 15 pool is a huge amount of water.

With that much water loss, i would say you have a leak in your pool

Andrew

That's what I used to think too but when the hot dry norwester's blow here in sydney that's what evaporates, most of the year it is ok.

25mm loss wouldn't be uncommon in a hot northerly!

Water restrictions in WA are a bit of a farce IMHO. Industry uses ~75% of all water and they face zero restrictions. The vast majority of all business's have options to minimise or recycle water yet this is not encouraged as it eats into the Govt's revenue base.

Yet the domestic sector (us!) bear the brunt of criticism for overusing water and face water restrictions. The expensive TV ads about the public conserving water is more based on the Govt appearing to do the right thing while maintaining their revenue base.

To restrict topping up of pools (or stop installing them) would put the deathknock on a healthy and fun activity for many, many children. My children (and my friends/neighbors) spend many hours in warmer weather enjoying themselves while getting a good dose of exercise and social development.

To stop pool topups in the name of water restrictions would go against the encouraging of healthy activities for children, all for the sake of a few kilolitres of water a year that industry squanders by the megalitres.

Cheers

Captain

I can't speak for others, but I won't shower if I've had a swim in a fresh water pool. Also, some people water the lawn/garden that a pool would replace and this can use just as much water.

And I think it would be a lazy law to target things like pools...some people have long showers without using a water saver shower head, but this can't be enforced.

Do you have any statistics that suggest pool owners are a major contributor to the water shortages?

Actually pools can use a lot more water than you think. Check out the article at http://www.daisypoolcovers.com.au/pdf/FactSheet_1_Evaporation.pdf for some good water loss figures.

Andrew

I notice the link is from a provider of pool covers. Do you honestly believe they are not out to provide figures to sell their product. This was proven when the Qld Govt first decided to implement compulsory pool covers. There stats were provided by a pool cover provider and knocked by many sources. According to the figures provided for the Govt my pool would empty itself every 6 months when in actual fact I'm lucky to top it up (about 2 inches) twice a year. (Bit like S***y providing figures for 4wd accidents). My opinion anywhow, I won't be rushing out to buy a pool cover
Peter

Agreed Peter. I top up muy pool (about 2 inches) 3 or 4 times a year. My pool is solar heated, so in the summer I get a bit more evaporation. Of course we should be concerned about water used in pools, but it is largely a beat up.

Peter, where exactly is this information incorrect? Back up your statement with facts! I have provided the link in good faith as i have found it an easy way to explain some of the basic concepts of water evaporation without baffling anyone with complicated formulas/tables.

Take away the fact that it is from a Pool Cover supplier, what is wrong with the info as you seem to have more knowledge that i'm not aware of. I never pushed the fact that you need a pool cover, i don't even know the business, just read the data and find the incorrect info......

I would be very surprised if you had a net evaporation loss of 100mm per year unless you live in a rather wet area. Highly unlikely to be the case in most places in Qld, especially in these dry times.

As far as i know, the Qld Government wouldn't have "implemented compulsory pool covers", rather it be the Local Councils, as it is not compulsory where i live up North.....Do you have reference to where these "sources" knock figures. I am unable to recall such an instance, even though it may have been the case.

For the record, i own a 10m x 5m x 1.2m concrete inground pool in Mackay which will evaporate an average of 25-50mm per week in the months from around Nov-Mar (not taking into account rainfall).

Norm C, how does your solar heating system work? I would have thought that they have a cutoff/shutoff valve or similar to stop the system overheating the pool. I know that my system use to have a electronic controller which would bypass the heating pipes at certain temperature differentials. Yours may be different :-)

Andrew

Was topping up my pool almost weekly, put on blanket and have not topped it up since. I actually thought I had a Leak (pool was new) and was suprised how much water it used. Also, chlorinator has gone from being maxed out to just ticking over. My advice to anyone with a pool is to put a blanket on it...the difference is huge

Thanks Johno, an interesting method but unfortunately it is manual.

I contacted the owner and he said there will be an automatic model available in about 6 months.

Pedro