County Issues New Guidelines for Maintaining, Draining Swimming Pools

ba/pools.pr 97-226 Contact: Boyd Church, 301-217-2363

COUNTY ISSUES NEW GUIDELINES
FOR MAINTAINING, DRAINING
SWIMMING POOLS For Immediate Release: July 10, 1997

The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection reminds all
swimming pool owners and operators of new guidelines pertaining to maintaining and
draining of pools.
For community pools in areas served by the Washington Suburban Sanitary
Commission (WSSC) sanitary sewer system, pool water should be discharged into the sewer.
Water must not be discharged to a storm drain without a permit from the Maryland
Department of the Environment (MDE). Under the County's Water Quality Ordinance,
anyone discharging pool water without a permit or in excess of the conditions specified on
the permit is subject to a $500 civil citation.
For residential pools, backwash water should be discharged to the sanitary sewer
whenever possible. (All discharges to sanitary sewers must comply with WSSC requirements.)
If pool water must be drained into the environment, the water should meet the following
requirements because the chemicals can harm aquatic life, grass and plants:
- Pool water must sit for at least 48 hours after adding chlorine, or until the chlorine
level is below 0.1 milligrams/liter.
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- The pH (a measure of acidity) of the pool water must not be less than 6.5 nor greater
than 8.5.
- The water must not be murky or cloudy.
The flow of the water should be directed onto the land surface, because absorption
into the ground provides an opportunity for chemical pollutants to react with the soil, thereby
filtering the water.
When draining pools across the land, owners and operators can minimize temporary
flooding and erosion by gradually discharging the water.
"It is important for everyone who enjoys a pool or spa to realize that maintenance
discharges can kill aquatic life," said Boyd Church, Water Quality planner with the County
Department of Environmental Protection.
The department is willing to assist owners and operators, in order to help save our
streams," Church added.
Chemicals discharged to storm drains flow to the nearest stream, where they can have
an immediate impact stream water quality.
Even low levels of chlorine can be toxic to aquatic life. Because all streams in the
County discharge to rivers that drain to the Chesapeake Bay, pollution in local streams and
rivers impacts the health of the bay. Pollution of county streams can also affect the drinking
water supply, because most County residents are served by WSSC water drawn from the
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Potomac River, which, in turn, is fed by local streams.
A new brochure listing the guidelines is available by calling the DEP at 301-217-2177.
For information about obtaining a discharge permit, commercial owners/operators should
contact MDE at 410-631-3323.

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