Why are they bad for water quality?

Disinfectants used to keep our swimming pools clean are another pollutant which threatens our waterbodies. When draining their swimming pools, many people release water that is heavily laced with chlorine or bromine down the street and into the storm drains. These chemicals are designed to keep the water in swimming pools sterile, and unfortunately, also kill important parts of the aquatic environment in our waterbodies too.

What can we do to reduce or prevent storm water pollution?

There are many simple things we can do to prevent storm water pollution and help protect the water quality of our local waterbodies, although the number of pollutants might seem overwhelming. By incorporating simple, daily changes in our routine or activities, preventing storm water pollution will not seem like such a dramatic change to our lifestyle.

Before draining your swimming pool water into the street, make sure you dechlorinate the water first. Dechlorination will occur if you allow the water to sit for a few days and let the sun shine on the water, or by adding chemicals that counteract chlorine.

Make sure your filter backwash drains to the sewer system and not into the street. Backwash water has a heavy concentration of chlorine and other chemicals that are good for treating sewage water, but damaging to natural aquatic environments. Additionally, backwash leaves a residue of diatomaceous earth (DE) along the gutter and streets. If filter backwash cannot be discharged to the sewer, a catch basin should be installed to remove the DE prior to draining it into a landscaped area. The size of the catch basin would have to be large enough to house the DE filters. Then rinse cartridge filters into a container to settle out waste. Bag and dispose of residue in the trash.

What do the laws say about chlorine and other swimming pool chemicals?

It is illegal to discharge filter backwash and chlorinated water into the storm drains. Swimming pool water must be dechlorinated prior to releasing it in the streets.