Opening your pool?

With the anticipation of warmer days ahead, you may be getting ready to reopen your pool, hot tub or spa. The City of Vaughan brings safe and clean drinking water to its residents – but everyone’s help is needed to protect the environment and the source of Vaughan’s water by disposing of water and chemicals safely.

Water from pools, hot tubs or spas is filled with chemicals that keep them clean and safe for swimming; however, these same products can be toxic to the environment, fish and organisms that live in creeks, rivers and Lake Ontario – the source of Vaughan’s drinking water. Never drain chlorinated water, saltwater or excess pool or hot tub chemicals into a catch basin. Only rainwater should enter the storm sewer system as the water is not treated before travelling back into the environment.

The best way to dispose of water from both chlorine and saltwater pools, including backwash water from the filter, is onto your lawn surrounding your property ONLY if the following conditions are met:

• The water has a pH greater than 6.0 and less than 9.0.
• The water is dechlorinated before discharging.
• The water is free of debris, vegetation or algae.
• The private residence does not back onto a ravine or valley.
• The water can be properly absorbed into the lawn. You must consider the slope and surface of your property and the rate with which the water is removed and absorbed into the ground to ensure it does not run toward your home or your neighbour’s property.  

Leftover or expired pool, hot tub or spa chemicals are considered household hazardous waste. You must dispose of these products at any one of York Region’s Waste Depots. The Vaughan location is at 130 McCleary Crt.

As the owner of a private swimming pool, hot tub or spa, you or any company you hire have a responsibility and legal obligation to safely maintain and operate your pool, hot tub or spa in compliance with the City’s Sewer Use By-law 087-2016 (PDF). Under this by-law, pool water must be safely discharged onto the lawn surrounding your home. Homeowners or the hired company could face fines or other penalties for improper disposal of pool water.

For more information on pool water or chemical disposal or to report a spill or unintended discharge into the storm sewer system, contact Access Vaughan at 905-832-2281 (toll-free: 1-844-832-2112) or email at accessvaughan@vaughan.ca, or the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks at 416-325-3000 (toll-free: 1-800-268-6060), TTY: 1-855-889-5775. To report a spill or unintended discharge, you can also fill out the online form from the Corporate Compliance Governance Officer’s office.

Want to learn more about the City’s stormwater system? Watch this quick video on the City’s YouTube channel or visit vaughan.ca/stormwater.

For updates and news as they happen, subscribe to Vaughan News and follow the official corporate channels on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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