Swimming pools and water features are designed to heighten the look and experience of a yard. That being said, many pool owners still worry that the pool water will have damaging effects on the surrounding grass.

Good news! If you prepare correctly, you don’t have to be worried.

In most situations, your pool water will have no effect on the grass growing around your swimming pool. Dripping swim trunks and splashes from diving and gameplay aren’t going to have a significant enough effect on the grass or soil to make a difference. Little splashes here and there don’t have enough of either chemical to cause major problems.

Any issues caused by pool water getting in your landscaping are results of too much chlorine or salt.

How does pool water hurt my yard?

If your chlorine concentration is too high, you may start seeing a pH imbalance in your soil or dead grass. Grass also knows which nutrients is should and shouldn’t absorb.

Salt water has a slightly different effect on grass. Salt is already present in the ground in small amounts. But when salt levels increase, it becomes harder for plants to obtain nutrients and water. The salt keeps all of that for itself!

If you find yourself with too much salt in your soil, you can try washing it away with fresh water. If you have a lot of clay in your yard, it may become compacted by the salt. You can resolve this problem by adding gypsum .

When does pool water hurt my yard?

Draining pool water allows the water to infiltrate your soil. If you are going to drain your pool at all, you should lower the chlorine concentration to 0.1 parts per million. Too much chlorine is definitely going to have a negative result if it seeps into your soil.

While many places will allow you to drain your salt water pool on your own property, it can be challenging to even the salt out so it doesn’t gather in one area and hurt the soil. The popular draining method is to drain into a sanitary sewer or clean out line.

If you have any more questions or concerns regarding pool and lawn health, please don’t hesitate to ask your pool professionals.