Houston
Department of Health and Human Services > Environmental
Health > Flood Relief for Swimming Pools
Flood Relief
for Swimming Pools
The following general instructions
are provided to you in an effort to assist in your cleanup efforts.
If your pool was flooded and filled with storm water it is strongly
recommended that a pool professional be contacted to inspect
your pool and assist you in remediation of any damage.
Permanent damage to the pool structure, plumbing and wiring
can occur if proper precautions are not take during repairs.
If flood damage and debris is minimal you can restart your pool
with the following steps:
- Secure the swimming pool by
locking the gate and repairing any damaged fencing.
- Raise the chlorine level to
8 ppm (parts per million). This will help clarify the
pool water and will control mosquito growth.
- When the solids have settled
to the bottom of the pool, remove the solids with the leaf
net.
- Do not use the pool pump and
filter to try to circulate the water in the pool until cleanup
is complete.
- Check and remove any solids
from the pump trap and skimmers.
- Turn the pump on to filter
the water.
- Do not swim in the pool until
the chlorine concentration is between 1-2 ppm.
- If you are unable to remove
the solids with the net, do not attempt to drain the pool.
Contact a professional.
When the pool is drained it is
possible for the pool to be forced out
of the ground by water under the pool. Do not risk permanent
damage to the pool and equipment. Contact a pool professional
to drain the pool and protect against "floating" the
pool. A pool can "float" in as little as 24
hours if no hydrostatic relief is provided. If cleanup
requires draining the pool contact a professional.
For more information
call HDHHS Public Health Engineering
at 713-640-4399.
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