Water is a precious resource, obviously, and when we consume more water than what is replaced like when droughts occur, water restrictions are normally put in place. Having a water restriction means it’s important to conserve as much water as possible, but it doesn’t mean not being able to enjoy your pool. Here are some eco-friendly pool care tips to practice all the time to conserve water and save you money at the same time.

The first thing you can do to conserve water use with your swimming pool is to not drain it at the end of the swim season. Instead, keep the water clean by having a balanced level of pool chemicals all year long. A properly maintained pool can go as long as 5 to 7 years without being drained. Chemical levels of a healthy pool include a pH balance between 7.2-7.6 ppm, alkalinity levels between 80-120 ppm, and calcium hardness in a range of 180-220 ppm.

During the offseason, you should cover your pool since using a pool cover can prevent up to 98% of evaporation from occurring while letting rain and snow into the pool (but not out). Using a winter cover on your pool can also reduce pool chemical usage by 35-60% which leads to pretty big savings come springtime. Installing a windbreaker around your pool or pool area is also a good idea. Constructing a natural barrier like plants or evergreen shrubs or a man-made structure, can reduce energy use and save water. A 7 mph breeze at the surface of a pool can increase energy consumption by 300% and evaporation by thousands of gallons of pool water per month.

An easy thing you can do to save energy and money is to lower the thermostat setting on your pool heater or heat pump to 78-82 degrees or even lower. Each degree increase in pool water temperature can cost you 10-30% more in energy costs, depending on where you live. Consider using a solar blanket on your pool which can help raise your pool’s temperature by up to 15 degrees while helping reduce water evaporation and chemical loss.

With some planning, preparation, pool cover and a few small sacrifices, you can enjoy your pool while keeping your pool maintenance costs to a minimum while reducing your energy and natural resources use.