Using Pool water from a saltwater swimming pool

[Dixie Dude]

I have a saltwater swimming pool.  The PPM salt in my pool water is 3,500 PPM.  Seawater that is non-drinkable is about 35,000 PPM.  It is about the same PPM as tears. .  The electric clorinator produces clorine from the salt (sodium-cloride) by electrolisis while the pool pump is circulating the water.  I was considering using it in prepping for water.  I have to add about 40lbs of basic pure rock pool salt ($8/bag) usually 3-4 times a year, due to evaporation and rain dilution. 
 Has anyone considered if this is drinkable in a major water outage if they have a pool?  My pool is 9,000 gallons.  I can easily use it for washing, but the low PPMs might make it usable for cooking at least, maybe drinking in a pinch.  Rain keeps it balanced between too full and too empty surprisingly so I rarely have to add water.  Water is circulated and filtered continuously. 
What do you think?  This is for bug in in major outage of utilities. 

[mechanic]

You can always distill it, easy on really sunny days.
 
Ben

[bilmac]

I would say it is real close to being pure enough to drink. In a survival situation I would stop adding the salt and use it for other things like washing first. Over time rainwater would dilute the salt and if you eventually have to drink it, it will be safe.
 
Have you thought about catching rainwater from your roof?
 
Hard for me to imagine a place where rainfall exceeds evaporation. Where I live if you didn't add water, the pool would probably be empty in a few months.

[Couger]

 
If it was too brackish to drink, use it for flushing the toilet or "watering" plants it won't kill, or or any other grey water uses. 

[Dixie Dude]

Like I said it is very low salt content, just enough to keep it clean from germs and such.  Far lower than seawater.  Yes I have though about catching rainwater as I do have gutters on my house.  For every 1,000 sq ft of roof, one inch of rain yeilds 600 gallons of rainwater.  That is a lot of fresh water.  If the pool gets diluted to much, like in the winter, it grows algae.  Can't drain the pool as dirt around it would colapse the pool.  It is an in ground fiberglass.  The city has a 3 day supply of water in their storage tanks.  They have backup diesel generators for the filter plant.  I was thinking long term like an EMP knocking out the power.  The pool water could last a long time.  However not being circulated it would eventually grow algae.  Someone on the "Doomsday Preppers" show turned their pool into a talapia fish pond.  Had to eat talapia every day to keep their numbers down.  Algae is the biggest problem when it isn't circulating through the filter and clorinator.  The pump however only pulls 135 watts when running.  Even a small solar panel could keep it circulating during the day.  Don't know how many watts the clorinator uses.  It is only about a foot long with 2" pipe connections.  The pool does give me options though, at least for awhile.  A massive EMP could knock power off from 6 months to 2 years according to what was said on TV.  It would knock out about half the vehicles in the country, and a lot of the electronics. 

[bilmac]

Of course the pool would become stagnant without the treatments you are giving it, but I would think that something like a sand filter for the water that you take out to use would make a lot more sense than trying to keep the whole pool pure. Keeping the whole thing pure enough to drink is about impossible anyhow. How many birds use it for bombing practice every day.

[mcwoodduck]

In survival they tell you to mix 1/3 Salt water with 2/3 fresh to extend the water and make 9 gallons last for 6 days.
Looks like your pool is less than that.  If you need, it use it.
Sea water is about 5% salt.
Survival water is 1.5% and your water is about .5% according to your figures.
As you use the pool it will get more concentrated with salt due to evaporation.
 

[Dixie Dude]

I usually have the other problem.  Rain dilutes the pool water and I have to add salt about every month during the summer, about 20 lbs a month.  Bags are 40 lbs and cost $8 at Walmart.  Thought about using this salt to cure meat in a pinch.  It is nothing but pure rock salt. 

[charles p]

All kids pee in swimming pools.

[Dixie Dude]

No kids, except occational grandkids who are 11-13.  They know better. 

[mechanic]

All kids pee in swimming pools.

The ammonia kills bacteria........
 
Ben

[mcwoodduck]

No kids, except occational grandkids who are 11-13.  They know better.

Tell them that the pool water is drinking water if there is a problem and they won't pee or fart in it.

[blind ear]

If it comes to the swimming pool haveing to be drinking water, the pool will probably no longer be considered a "swimming" pool. It will be guarded as a vital resource.   ear

[Victor3]

Can't drain the pool as dirt around it would colapse the pool.  It is an in ground fiberglass. 

 Just curious; how do they install a fibergass pool without it collapsing? I'm only familiar with the common "seement pond" found around these parts. 

[Dixie Dude]

They dug the hole, leveled the bottom, put the pool in off the truck with a crane.  Then they began to fill the pool and put a fine gravel around it at the same time to keep the pressure even until the pool was full.  Then they poured concrete around the top and smoothed it.  It cannot be drained, but it is strained twice, then filtered.  Salt and balance material are added as needed.  Took about 10 40# bags when first started.  Strainers and filters must be cleaned weekly.  Not hard to do, just use garden hose.  Pump must run continuously (about 135 watts). 

[mechanic]

Talked to a lady today, who has about a 12 acre place that the deer are eating up...roses, azaleas...all eaten to a nub.  They are drinking from her swimming pool, (salt water), and sleeping under her deck.
 
If it don't kill the deer, it should be ok.  Just be careful, because some of these bucks have massive racks.  Don't want you growing any......
 
Ben

[Bugflipper]

The highest I could find was the Australian government stating 1500 ppm (2500 ec) was the limit. Our govt is more conservative.


drinking water : 100 ppm

• restriction on drinking water : 500 ppm
• fresh water - limit drinking water : 1000 ppm
• limit agriculture irrigation : 2000 ppm
• brackish water, mildly : 1000 - 5,000 ppm
• brackish water, moderately : 5000 - 15,000 ppm
• brackish water, heavily : 15,000 - 35,000 ppm
• sea water : 30,000 - 50,000 ppm (approx. 35,000)
• brine > 50.000 ppm

[Dixie Dude]

My wife did some research on this.  The water is drinkable.  The ppm is low enough not to hurt you.  The water may actually be cleaner than your tap water.  Actually about the same amount of salt as Gatorade.  So, I have a 10,000 gallon supply.  Because of rain, I have to add salt about every 2-3 months.  Also, the clorinator makes clorine out of the salt.  When it gets back into the pool the clorine recombines with the sodium to make salt again.  This is a continuous process in a salt water pool.  The pool pump runs 24-7.  It is constantly being filtered, clorinated, evaporated, back to salt, then back through again.  This is how it remains clean.