Will Pool Water Kill Grass?

Overflow drainage is part of proper pool maintenance. Splashes from jumping are nice, but draining pool water unleashes tons of water, chlorinated or saltwater.

It’ll be hard to keep your yard from getting damaged in these amounts, so direct your drainage to a less visible spot or a spot where plants aren’t allowed.

If you have a small amount of overflow drainage, you can use gravel to create a drainage area.

People also run drainage to a storm sewer to save their grass. There can be fines for this in some places, so ask your local sewer authority.

Will Chlorine Water Kill Grass?

Yes. You’ll kill your grass if you expose it to pure chlorine for a long time. The chlorine in pools is diluted. There are 2 to 4 parts per million (commonly abbreviated as ppm) of chlorine in an average pool.

As far as chlorine levels go, the CDC recommends keeping it at one ppm because it’s better for your lawn and family.

Skin irritation may occur at chlorine levels above ten parts per million. The good news is that even the best cannonball won’t damage or kill your grass.

It’s more likely to irritate or cause damage if your chlorine water isn’t diluted enough. The key to avoiding damage when you spill chlorine is to dilute it as soon as possible.

Dilute the chlorine with a hose or bucket before it damages the pool deck or kills the plants nearby.

If Your Pool Is Chlorinated

When chlorine is undiluted, it’s a dangerous chemical (thanks, high school science class).

Regardless, since the chemical is greatly diluted when mixed with pool water, splashing water from your pool shouldn’t harm your lawn.

There’s more to it than that!

You shouldn’t worry about small splashes or wet foot trails damaging your grass, but emptying your pool is another story.

Before you start, make sure the chlorine level in the pool water is at or below 0.1ppm, since you’re going to empty a lot of water onto your lawn.

The sheer volume of chemicals could damage your grass.

Chlorine is a harsh chemical, and it can damage plants and grass if it’s undiluted.

Any chlorine that spills on your lawn (like when you’re adjusting the pH levels of your pool, for example) should be diluted immediately by watering the area thoroughly.

So, if you dilute, dilute, dilute, you won’t damage your lawn from chlorinated pool water.

Can I Empty My Pool Water On The Lawn Without Killing The Grass?

Most of the time, dumping a pool, hot tub, or another chlorinated water source on your lawn won’t damage it.

If you don’t do it frequently, dump it all in one place, and reduce chlorine levels as much as you can from the typical range (1 to 4 ppm) for pools and hot tubs.

Turf is a better place to recycle pool water for irrigation than other landscaping areas. Other landscape plants, like trees, shrubs, and ornamentals, can’t handle as much chlorine as turf.

Make sure you cover the pool for ten days before emptying it so that the chlorine can dissipate.

While this is going on, don’t add chlorine. To avoid flooding the yard, move the hose around the yard as you empty the pool.

Make sure you empty the pool over a few days instead of all at once to prevent damage.

If you do these things, the pool water will be less likely to cause damage and you can use it as lawn irrigation.

What Causes Grass Damage When You Drain A Pool?

As long as the chlorine is diluted, emptying chlorinated pool water shouldn’t do much damage to your lawn.

Pool water shouldn’t be dumped too often onto the lawn, and the smaller the amount at a given time, the better.

It’s also possible for your grass and surrounding plants to die if the chlorine levels in the pool are too high.

You can avoid this by taking a few steps to ensure the chlorinated water drains away from your lawn safely.

It’s okay for soil to survive chlorine at high acid levels, so it won’t strip grass of its nutrients.

Before draining, check the chlorine level in your pool. The water may need to be diluted more if the chlorine level is too high.

You might drown your grass if you drain a lot of pool water.

In addition, drainage issues may cause flooding, which attracts nasty pests like mosquitoes.

You shouldn’t drain more pool water than your lawn can absorb when draining pool water. Most lawns need about 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week.

A waterlogged lawn can cause damage to the roots of the grass if you overwater it, which means draining out more water than your lawn can handle.

Does Saltwater Pool Water Kill Grass?

Plants can be damaged by saltwater, especially if there’s a lot of water or if it’s extremely salty.

You should keep the salt level in your saltwater pool low enough that accidental spills or splashes won’t damage your grass.

It’s natural for saltwater to have over 35 grams of salt per liter, while freshwater usually has less than one. People think saltwater pools have no chlorine, but that’s not true.

Your pool will have a similar chlorine reading as a typical chlorinated pool because salt converts to chlorine through electrolysis.

How To Minimize Damage To Your Lawn When Draining A Pool

You should check the chlorine level in your pool before draining it, which you can do with pool test strips. 7.0 to 7.8 is a safe pH level for grass and plants.

Before draining, stop adding chlorine or any other chemicals to the pool for several days to make sure they’re properly diluted and won’t harm your grass.

You can also dissolve chlorine by leaving the pool uncovered and exposed to sunlight.

You should be careful not to drain pool water all at once on to your lawn if you have a level backyard.

In a situation where the water has nowhere to go before soaking into the ground, there is a risk of flooding, which could damage your lawn by suffocating the grass.

Alternate where the water drains if you can. Changing which drainage hole you use can reduce damage if your pool has more than one.

You could also use a hose to transfer your water where it’s drained.

Where Best To Empty Pool Water?

It’s better not to empty pools onto flat ground where there’s no drainage so the water doesn’t flood your grass and cause root rot.

The best places to drain your garden are grassy, rocky, or stony areas since they allow water to filter away through the soil.

You should also check your groundwater levels. You should consider emptying your pool bit by bit over time if they’re high.

Adding too much water to a lawn with poor drainage can lead to waterlogging and adversely affect the grass’ health.

Can I Water My Lawn With Pool Water?

When used correctly, pool water can save you both money and water, especially in summer.

Make sure it’s moderate, monitored, and timed right! When used in moderation, dechlorinated pool water can do wonders, but it’s important to watch your lawn.

It makes sense in very hot weather to water the lawn at night.

You’ll have to keep in mind that lower temperatures and no sun may mean the water will take longer to evaporate, which means your lawn will stay damp longer.

By using the pool water to improve your lawn’s health, you can increase the risk of fungus developing.