We are, in sunny South Africa, fortunate enough to be able to use our pools almost all year round. But, because the weather is so great, we tend to forget about the water in our pools.

Yet often, as a result of drought or periods of no rainfall, the country does suffer under water restrictions. Remember Day Zero in Cape Town in 2018 when the city was on the brink of having their taps run dry? A scary thought indeed. And it’s not just the Mother City. Restrictions are sometimes put in place throughout the country, where we’re not allowed to water our gardens between certain hours, or top up our swimming pools at all.

So, it’s important we take water conservation seriously – and one of the biggest things we can do is use less water for our pool.

Let’s look at why our swimming pools can be so thirsty.

Evaporation. It’s the biggest culprit for stealing your pool water.

As we said, we’re fortunate in sunny SA to be able to swim practically all year around. Yet, that can also be a bad thing. The South African Department of Energy says that evaporation is responsible for 70% of water loss in pools and spas.

In fact, depending on heat, wind, sunlight, and humidity, your pool’s water level can drop a quarter of an inch a day!

You can combat this though – and conserve water as well as save on your water bill.

Cover your pool.

Use a pool cover! It’s the most effective way to conserve water. Studies show that covering a pool can cut evaporation by 95%. If you do zero else, this alone will deliver major savings.

As an aside, they offer other benefits too. Pool covers retain warmth, reduce energy demands on your pool equipment, keep your pool cleaner, and depending on the type of cover you use, keep your pool safer, especially for kids and dogs.

You have a huge choice of pool covers to suit the shape and size of your pool, as well as the depths of your pockets! On the top end, you can invest a fair sum in an automatic cover that covers your pool with the touch of a button. Don’t want to spend a lot, purchase a lightweight solar blanket. These float on the pool surface, and are equally as effective in preventing evaporation.

Add windbreaks to combat evaporation even more.

Wind plays a big factor in the evaporation of pool water. It aerates the water and allows the sun to suck it up more easily.

So, use a windbreak. It’s any kind of barrier placed around the pool to slow the wind’s speed and prevent it from hitting the pool water’s surface directly.

You have plenty of options. Landscaping is one and will add to the beauty of your garden. As just one idea, you can plant rows of shrubs around the pool.

You can also erect a solid fence around the pool. If you go semi-solid or use a fence, you should add features to the fence line that will stand in the way of the wind.

Repair swimming pool leaks.

You’ll lose a lot of pool water if you have a leak. A leak of just a few centimetres in a 15-by-30-foot pool can cost you almost 400,000 litres per year in wasted water! Think about how much that’ll add to your water bill!

Turn off fountains and waterfalls when you can.

Water that’s well aerated is also water that the sun would love to lap up, so turn off bubbling water features when you aren’t using or appreciating them.

Take good care of your pool.

Clean your filter manually. You’ll use less water and do a better job. To give you an idea of a backwash’s water thirst, the average one uses up to 4,000 litres of water — and doesn’t leave your pool filter sparking as new!

Make sure you maintain proper chemical levels and adequate circulation, as you’ll avoid the need to drain your pool or use excessive water to correct any neglect.

Keep an eye on your water level when you’re filling your pool. Forgetting to turn off the tap can waste a lot of water.

Get a water storage bladder.

These clever contraptions are a great way to save water. When you need to drain your pool water for whatever reason, make sure you save the water by putting it aside in a water bladder.

Not only will that save you the time and expense to refill your pool, as well as help the environment, but you can even use some of it to water your garden!

And finally, one for the kids.

Diving bombs in the deep end, splashing around, and having water fights, although a lot of fun, can waste more water than you’d expect. So, if you can, and that’s a big if, convince the kids not to.

That’s about it. Let’s mark World Water Day by conserving our pool water – as well as conserving those rands in your pockets!