For More Information

Storm water pollution:

El Dorado County Storm Water Pollution 

Prevention (530) 621-5927

http://www.edcgov.us/Government/

EMD/HazardousMaterials/Storm_Water_

Pollution_Prevention.aspx

Central Valley Regional Water Quality 

Control Board

www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralvalley

Sanitary sewer discharges:

El Dorado Irrigation District (530) 622-4513 

www.eid.org

Household hazardous waste disposal:

El Dorado County Environmental 

Management (530) 626-4141 or

Call the local household hazardous collection 

center at (916)933-6692 or go to

their website to find out where to dispose of 

hazardous waste for free. 

http://www.edcgov.us/HazardousMaterials/

EID’s Industrial Pretreatment and

Pollution Prevention Program

2890 Mosquito Road

Placerville, CA 95667

Phone: 530-295-6867

Fax: 530-344-5667

www.eid.org 

Draining a 

Swimming Pool

El Dorado Irrigation District

“Serving people, agriculture, businesses, and the 

environment in El Dorado County since 1925”

Courtesy of 

El Dorado Irrigation District’s 

Industrial Pretreatment and

Pollution Prevention Program

To sewage

treatment plant

Sewer line

clean-out

Sewer line

Storm

drain

ows 

directly

to local

streams

Storm

drain

Storm

drain

Finding your sewer cleanout

Look on your property for a 

small circular cap on a pipe or 

for a concrete or metal cover 

marked “Sewer,” “C.O.” or “S.” 

Cleanouts are often located 

under them.

In either case, remove the cap 

and place the hose in the pipe 

to drain. To prevent backflow, 

don’t let the end of the hose 

touch the bottom of the sewer 

pipe while draining.

EID acknowledges the Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution 

Prevention Program for developing and sharing the artwork seen 

above and some of the content in this brochure. Ver. 12/2010

Helpful tips for draining pools, spas, 

and fountains to avoid harming streams, 

lakes, and other waterways
Wastes from acid washing or from “shocking” 

the pool should not be discharged to the sewer 

until the pH has been neutralized and/or the 

free chlorine level has been reduced. The pH of 

discharges to the sewer should range from 6.0 

to 9.0. The free chlorine level should be equal 

to or less than 4.0 parts per million.

If you plaster or grout your pool or spa, don’t 

discharge waste materials or water used in the 

work to the storm drain or sewer.

Properly maintained pools, 

spas, and fountains reduce the 

need to drain

Did you know? How to drain to the sewer

What not to discharge

Control discharge rate. Discharging too 

quickly and at too high a rate can cause 

the sewer to back up in your house, your 

neighbor’s house, or from manholes in the 

street. Typically, the sewer cleanout and 

service line to your home can handle the 

discharge from a 2-inch hose. 

Control discharge quality. Maintain the 

proper chemical balance and filtration 

in pools and spas. The desirable pH level 

is 7.4 to 7.6, while the desirable level of 

free (total) chlorine is 1.0 – 3.0 parts per 

million. A pool company can help you 

determine and adjust your pool’s pH and 

free chlorine levels.

Settle backwash. Provide a settling tank 

for filter backwash water before discharging to the sewer. And remember: 

Put your spent diatomaceous earth filter 

material in the garbage.

Minimize chemical use. Dispose of unwanted or unused hazardous pool chemicals properly and use copper algaecides only 

when necessary. The back panel on this 

brochure list sources of more information 

about how to properly dispose household 

hazardous waste.

We recommend that you take the 

following steps to minimize the number 

of times you have to drain your pools, 

spas, and fountains. 

• Pay attention to the proper chemical levels.

• Maintain the water filtration and 

circulation systems.

• Manage pH and water hardness. This will 

reduce copper pipe corrosion that can stain 

your pool and end up in waterways.

• Hold down algae buildup through regular 

chlorine use, which prevents the need for 

the more toxic algaecides. And ask your 

pool maintenance service or local pool 

supply store for help in resolving persistent 

algae problems without using copper 

algaecides. 

When cleaning your pools, spas, and 

fountains: 

• Don’t clean a filter in the street, gutter, or 

storm drain.

• Rinse cartridge filters onto a dirt area, and 

shovel filter residue onto the soil.

• Wash sand and diatomaceous earth filters 

onto a dirt area and dispose of spent filter 

materials in the trash. 

1

2

3

4

If you don’t have a suitable dirt area to drain 

your pool, the guidelines below can help you 

discharge properly to the sewer.

Getting EID Involved

EID must approve any discharge equal to 

or greater than 25,000 gallons per day. To 

calculate the volume of your pool, visit 

http://www.backyardcitypools.com/swimmingpools/Pool-Volume-Calculate.htm

EID must also approve any permanent 

plumbing connection to the sanitary sewer. 

Please contact us prior to construction.

“Shocking” your pool with high concentrations of chlorine 

or other chemicals is a standard method of keeping algae 

growth in check. But before you drain your pool, you 

must ensure that the pH is between 6.0 and 9.0 and 

free (or total) chlorine levels are under 4.0 parts per 

million (ppm).

It is illegal to discharge chlorinated water to the 

storm drain system. 

Water in pools, spas, and fountains is treated 

with a variety of chemicals such as chlorine and 

other additives. Draining into storm drains can 

harm our waterways.

It is illegal—as well as a safety 

hazard—to discharge your pool 

water into a manhole.

Remember