City offers tips on draining pools to help protect Okanagan Lake

Summer officially came to a close and fall began on Saturday.

That means backyard pools across the Central Okanagan will be drained soon, if they haven’t been drained already, and the City of Kelowna wants to ensure that people are doing it properly.

“Follow proper pool drainage procedures this and every season to help protect Okanagan Lake, our drinking water source,” a City statement reads.

The City offered up the following tips to any resident who is draining their pool, hot tub or backyard water features at any time of year:

• Drain onto a dry area on their property over a long period of time, ensuring water stays on the property.
• Discharge the water at a low flow rate.
• Stop draining if it starts raining or the ground becomes saturated.
• Dechlorinate water before draining to ensure that no chlorine remains.
• Never drain water directly into Okanagan Lake.
• Always drain saltwater pool water directly into the sanitary sewer system, and never into the storm water collection system.

Any resident unsure of how to properly drain a pool, hot tub or water feature is urged to contact the City’s water quality department at 250-469-8887 before proceeding.

Improperly discharging contaminated water can lead to a fine of up to $2,000.

For more information, click this link.