The safest and most preferred option is draining into the sanitary sewer line. You’ll usually have a cleanout pipe for the sewer line on your property. You can also drain the pool water onto grass or landscaping to water your plants. You may be able to drain your pool directly into a storm sewer drain.
Some cities may require a chlorine level of less than 0. 1 ppm. [3] X Research source The amount of dechlorinator you need to use depends on the size of your pool and its current chlorine levels. [4] X Research source The chlorine in your pool could damage local plant life and contaminate water if you leave it untreated.
Try taping a brick or weight onto the hose to hold it in the water and prevent it from floating.
Filling the hose with water gets rid of air bubbles that could stop your pool from draining. If you don’t have a water spigot, just submerge the entire hose in your pool. Wait until the hose fills with water and you don’t see any more air bubbles.
You can find the sewer drain on your property by looking for a pipe coming out of the ground with a black or white cap. Push your hose a few inches into the pipe so it doesn’t fall out. Stay close to your pool the entire time while it’s draining so you can make sure there aren’t any backups or clogs. It will take most of the day to drain a pool with a hose, but you can put multiple hoses in your pool to siphon the water out faster.
When you fill the shop vac, empty it down in the same drain you used for the rest of the pool water.
Sanitary sewer lines are the most common drainage sites since the pool water runs through a treatment plant. You’ll usually have an access pipe somewhere on your property. Draining the pool into your yard may be allowed as long as you don’t cause any flooding. You might be able to drain into storm sewer lines if you don’t have any other options.
If you use a dechlorinating additive, follow the instructions on the package based on the size of your pool and its current chlorine levels. If your pool water still has too much chlorine, it could contaminate other water or harm local wildlife.
If you don’t want to buy a sump pump, you can usually rent one from a local hardware store to use for the day.
It’ll still take a few hours to completely drain your pool with a sump pump. If your pump clogs or causes a backup, pull it out and turn it off immediately. You may be able to work the clog out of the drain hose, but you may need to contact a plumber for a serious backup. Some pumps come with a hose that connects to the intake port. Instead of positioning the pump in the deepest part of the pool, set the end of the hose there instead.
If your pool doesn’t have a drain plug, then use a wet/dry shop vac to remove the rest of the water.
