Pool Discharge Conditions
Newton
uses the "1-wk delay" rule, and DEP has some fairly recent data on how long it takes
chlorine to dissipate after treating a pool - you could maybe extend to 10 days to be
safer. I do not think there are other things in pool water (normally!) that need to be
removed.
Reading
When our local YMCA wanted to drain their new indoor pool for annual cleaning, we had
them pump the water into the sanitary sewer. We worked with the DPW on this. They
asked that the pool be emptied at night when discharge rates from other sources were
low, so that they would not overwhelm the pipe capacity.
Framingham
discharges from dechlorinated swimming pool water (less than one ppm chlorine), would
be permissible within the outer 50 feet of the buffer zone, provided the water is allowed
to stand for one week prior to draining
Wellesley
In one recent case, we allowed a property owner to construct a pool within the buffer of
BVW and a certified Vernal Pool. This issue was heavily discussed at the NOI public
hearings and issuance of the Order really hinged on this issue. The applicant left the first
public meeting and did some homework and found a “closed” pool filtering system that
does not require backwashing and requires very little or no chlorine. I believe the primary
“chemicals” used in the filter are some sort of salt/charcoal.
The Committee imposed the following conditions and rational for the conditions: “The
Committee finds that the draining or backwashing of any pool water at the site has the
potential to enter the BVW and/or Certified Vernal Pool by overland and/or subsurface
flow. There are significant differences in the chemical composition and (typically)
temperature gradients of pool water and water found resource areas. Influxes of pool
water into a resource area can have a significant negative impact health and function of
these areas and the interests they serve under the Act and Bylaw. As such the
Committee further finds that pool water shall not be discharged on the property.”
“Preconstruction” Condition:
The applicant shall submit manufacturers information regarding the incorporation/use
of a closed pool filtration system proposed for use. At a minimum, the filtering system
shall not require “backwashing” or other discharges of pool water (that moves pool
water anywhere on the property outside of the pool or filter system) be made for
operation, cleaning, maintenance or repair of the system. The Committee must
approve the use of this system prior to construction. If periodic discharges and/or
draining of the pool are necessary, the applicant must enter into a long-term contract
with a licensed company to haul and dispose of the pool water off-site in a legal
fashion. A copy of said contract shall be submitted to the Committee and a copy of
said contract shall be recorded at the Registry of Deeds with this Order of
Conditions. See Special Condition #37 that restricts discharges of pool water on the
lot in perpetuity.
Condition in Perpetuity:
No direct or indirect discharges of pool water are permitted on the lot, including but
not limited to discharges from routine pool maintenance, backwashing of pool filters
and/or draining of the pool. Pool water must be managed within a closed system.
Pool water requiring disposal shall be pumped into a truck and hauled off-site for
disposal and/or otherwise removed and disposed of off-site in a legal fashion. This
Condition is ongoing and does not expire with the expiration of the Order of
Conditions or the issuance of a Certificate of Compliance.
Ultimately the applicant showed that they could not feasibly enter into a long term
contract with a contractor to haul pool water offsite as required by the Preconstruction
Condition and as you probably are thinking, actually enforcing the “no pumping on your
property” clause is realistically very difficult to police. However, I think getting the
property owner to take a step back, research and then invest in a better technology for
the site was a big win.
Middleton
Many People no longer use Chlorine in swimming pools, nor do they backwash. Many
pools are now saltwater. As for the riverfront, one key thing is not to allow back
washing, they do make several other systems now.
Peobody
This is the condition we use. And we talk about it at the hearing to make sure they
understand.
In the event a swimming pool is placed on this lot, the following condition shall apply:
The content of water in swimming pools can be detrimental to wetlands plant and animal
species. To remove harmful chemicals it is the applicant’s responsibility to leave the
pool water standing without the addition of chlorine for a minimum of three (3) days
before draining. In this way chlorine concentration will be significantly reduced due to
volatilization. All pool water, wherever possible, shall be drained through a dry well,
rather than allowed to spread over the surface of the land. The City of Peabody
Conservation Commission Office shall be notified prior to draining and shall approve the
method of draining.
Beverly
"Pool drawdown shall not occur within 2 weeks of chlorination and shall not be
discharged directly to the resource area, but rather allowed to flow over lawn/land to
infiltrate to the maximum extent possible" - the only other concern my Con Com has
expressed is proper disposal of diatomaceous earth
Salisbury
I don’t remember the exact language, but we put special conditions that prohibit direct
discharge to the wetlands and say they have to pump it over the lawn or other vegetated
areas so that the water infiltrates through the ground. That pretty much ensures that the
water will not be highly chlorinated because it would kill the lawn/landscaping. However,
this is hard to enforce unless I happen to be driving by or a neighbor calls.
Diatomaceous Earth is also known as DE and is used in pool filters. DE is actually
fossilized skeletons of diatoms from the ocean. I think most people probably just throw
it in the trash to dispose of it, but I could understand why the commission would be
concerned if a pile of DE was accumulating in the wetlands.
Sherborn
If Chlorine, we ask it sit for a few weeks and then be discharged away from the wetlands
at least 100 feet. The other conditions that we ask is to have a pump truck come to
pump the water out and take it away. The residents usually follow this. This is good
practice to include if someone is installing a pool, to follow in perpetuity.
Many people in our town have an ionized pool systems, this allows the owner to keep
the water in the pool year round, they place the elephant cover on the pool in the winter.
The cover seals the pool and does not allow any animals, leaves, etc to get into the pool.
I am not sure how well the cover works, but I believe it works quite well. If the pool is an
new installation, we require the pool be maintained as ionized, in perpetuity. I think that it
may not be significantly better then the chlorine, if emptied into a wetland would still
cause adverse affects. The ionized is better because the water does not have to be let
out, every season.
As I understand letting water out of your pool is an old practice, unless you are
abandoning it.
Ipswich
Well, one way is to prohibit filtration systems that require backwashing, such as sand
filters. Many other types avoid that entirely. They other thing would be what we did in
Taunton, which is to require the backwash pipe to be permanently connected into a
subsurface drywell. This Commission abhors backwashing so we prohibit those systems
here. I can’t comment on dissipation of chlorine, but wonder if anyone would wait the
week if that is correct?
Revere
Letting the water stand will dissipate chlorine, however water systems within the MWRA
service area use chloramine as residual disinfection which will not disspiate out of
standing water. So any pool filled with MWRA water would have chloramine. When
water systems are flushed, the water must be dechlorinated utilizing chemical such as
calcium thiosulfate or sodium thiosulfate before discharge to receiving waters. For
service areas within the MWRA sewer collection system, pools are not typically allowed
to discharge to sanitary sewer. Anybody with a DCR pool in their jurisdiction may have
had inquiry regarding where the pool discharges to. Recently we had a fish kill in Mill
Creek in Chelsea that was ultimately traced to the late summer closure of DCR's
Veterans Pool in the City of Everett.