Our Commitment to Water Conservation
Professional Weekly Service
Maintaining proper chemical levels and adequate filtration time is essential. You’ll have safer, sanitary water and avoid the need to drain the pool and refill.
As the drought in California worsens, valley swimming pools are becoming a target for water conservationists. There is even talk of prohibiting new pools from being filled. However, pools do not have to be the water wasters that they are made out to be.
Pool Covers
Pool covers are the most effective way to eliminate evaporation. A large 20’x40’ pool that is uncovered, loses 1” of water per week on average due to evaporation. That equates to 500 gallons of water per week or 71.5 gallons per day. In our experience, a pool cover can cut water evaporation in half matching the efficiency of drought-tolerant landscaping losing only 1/4” of water per week, 125 gallons per week or approximately 18 gallons per day. That’s a big difference!
Water Features
We encourage creative programming of water features and spillways. The more water exposed to the atmosphere, the more evaporation. Reduce water loss by minimizing run times on your waterfalls or fountains.
Efficient Backwashing
If your pool requires backwashing, a DE or Sand Filter, you must be mindful of the backwash schedule. Backwashing leads to a 60 gallon per minute water loss. We recommend converting to a cartridge filter if possible. Don’t guess when it’s time to backwash your filter, use your pressure gauge as a tool. Keeping up on your weekly maintenance will result in less frequent backwashing of your filter.
Hose Timers
A simple mechanical water timer, available at any hardware store is a very effective way to prevent overfilling. If your pool is equipped with an autofill feature, it’s important to keep an eye on the filler - they do need periodic adjustments and although uncommon, can fail.
Leaks
A leaking pool can lead to hundreds of gallons of water loss. Inspect your pool equipment weekly to confirm there are no leaks. Watch your water level, anything over a 1” loss per week is a red flag.
"Saul is such a great guy! He knows most people are on a budget and is one of those rare service people who actually tries to teach the customer things about their pool so that they can do some of the tasks themselves. He is punctual, is an expert with pools and spas & his prices are way more reasonable than most other services companies. I would highly recommend Sonoma Valley Pool & Spa to anyone!" Jill, Sonoma
TECH TIP: There’s a great iPhone app we use to see how much water our swimming pools use and how they compare to others like them. http://dropcountr.com