How to Clean a Pool After Flooding

After a hellish bushfire season, the Australian east coast faced more trouble as aggressive storms caused flash floods in recent days. We have developed a guide to help you restore the health of your pool after intense storms and flooding which are the primary causes of chemical imbalances and fluctuations in your pool’s health and water level.

A storm or flood affected pool will usually be contaminated with:

- Dirty or muddy water

- Algae build-up (due to rainwater diluting chlorine)

- Increased phosphate levels

- pH and ORP imbalances

- Debris from the surrounding environment

Before attempting to rectify the damage caused by storms and floods, it’s important to first check your pool equipment for damages to ensure your system hasn’t been affected. Once you’re confident your equipment is working and safe to use, follow these steps to restore your pool:

#1: Clear all debris from the pool, skimmer basket and pump basket.

#2: If the pool appears muddy, apply a flocculant to bind microparticles together.

#3: Leave flocculant for 24-48 hours, then vacuum pool floor to waste.

#4: Collect a water sample and have it tested. Floods can wash all kinds of contaminants into your pool.

#5: Based on test results, replace any salts and minerals needed for your chlorinator to work. If it is damaged, consider the use of chlorine tablets in a floating dispenser.

#6: Use phosphate remover to remove unwanted phosphates.

#7: Leave your pump and filter running until the pool is balanced.

#8: Use a clarifier in conjunction with your filter for 6-8 hours. Stagnant water can attract diseased mosquitoes and promote algae growth.

#9: Backwash your filter. Then, check your pressure valve.

#10: Retest your water to ensure chemicals are adequately balanced.

#11: Use a clarifier one last time for best results.

If you followed these steps correctly and your pool hasn’t cleared up, it may be worth consulting a pool professional to help identify the problem. To help protect your pool against future adverse weather conditions, consider investing in a sturdy pool cover.