Where do you drain your spa?

[snoopydance]

I'm scheduled to have my tub hooked up by the electrician next week.   He will fill it for me and test everything, then I plan to add Spa Flush and run it to clean all the jets and tubes and everything. (I bought a used tub.) Then I plan to drain it and refill it, with all the proper chemicals, N2 and an ozonator.

My tub holds 350 gallons. Where do you-all drain your tub? I have a walkway on the side of my house where it is just lawn. Should I do it there? Will the chems kill the grass? That's OK, but I'd like to know. Will the large quantity of water work its way into my foundation or my neighbors driveway? I guess it depends on the slope and the water table. I'm in Upstate NY.

I apologize if this is a dumb question. It seems like a lot of water...

[Mr._Bubbles]

I drain my spa in the back yard, far from the house. I would not drain it near your foundation at all.  The soils ability to absorb the water is really dependent (or is it dependant ) on your location and soil type.  I’ve not had any problems with the chems killing the grass, it may be even greener.

[Chas]

I have drained my tub onto my fruit trees for years. They seem to do fine. Most of my customers drain into their yards, and report the best parts of their lawn are right where they drain the tub. You simply remember not to add chlorine the night before you drain. Even if you do have a chlorine level, you can still drain into planters - just not on new lawn or other tender plants. The chlorine is gone by time the water gets very far into the soil.

I don't know about Baqua - the short time I used it at home I drained into the street just in case, and I have not spoken to any of our Baqua users to see how they handle it. Hopefully some Baqua users can chime in here.

Now....

The pipe cleaning chems you mention might be a different story. I would read the label on the bottle and go by what the chem company has to say. You might need to drain THAT load of water into a sanitary sewer or put it down a dry well, out on the street or similar.

 8-)

 

[Gomboman]

I drain mine into my backyard drainage system. I have drainage pipes in my backyard that run underneath our property which are cored to my front curb. The water makes it into our sewer system. It's pretty common where I live.

[Swell-Tub]

It is the law in Vegas. Spa's and pools have to be drained into the sewer system for reclamation. You are not allowed to let it run outside. So someone is drinking my spa water somewhere in Vegas.

Scott  8-)

[Cdn HockeyPuck]

So someone is drinking my spa water somewhere in Vegas.

Scott  8-)

 

[In Canada eh]

It is the law in Vegas. Spa's and pools have to be drained into the sewer system for reclamation. You are not allowed to let it run outside. So someone is drinking my spa water somewhere in Vegas.

Scott  8-)

Actually Scott,

  You guys have an amazing water system in place, I have read a lot about Las Vegas' water system and their conservation policies, they are great.  For those of you that don't know Vegas has 3 separate water systems drinking water, grey water and sanitary sewage.  The drinking water is treated and used like most other major cities in Canada and the US.  The grey water is a combination of storm water and non potable (bath tub, shower, laundry etc. etc.) that is send to a treatment facility and then sent back to irrigate lawns, fire hydrants and other non potable uses.  It really is a great system and is good for the environment.  So no one is drinking the water from your spa but they may be watering their lawn or the local fire department could be using your spa water to put out a fire.

  My hat is really off to the water authority in Vegas and I would love to see more North American cities adopt this type of conservation policy

[Swell-Tub]

Actually Scott,

  You guys have an amazing water system in place, I have read a lot about Las Vegas' water system and their conservation policies, they are great.  For those of you that don't know Vegas has 3 separate water systems drinking water, grey water and sanitary sewage.  The drinking water is treated and used like most other major cities in Canada and the US.  The grey water is a combination of storm water and non potable (bath tub, shower, laundry etc. etc.) that is send to a treatment facility and then sent back to irrigate lawns, fire hydrants and other non potable uses.  It really is a great system and is good for the environment.  So no one is drinking the water from your spa but they may be watering their lawn or the local fire department could be using your spa water to put out a fire.

  My hat is really off to the water authority in Vegas and I would love to see more North American cities adopt this type of conservation policy

Canada, you are right but the attached article didn't help much:

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/mar/11/drugs-our-water/

BTW it is against the law to sell a new house in Vegas with grass in the landscaping. After you buy it you can put in grass. They also give you a credit on your water bill if you change your grass landscaping to desert landscaping. Water conservation is a very big issue here in the desert.

Scott  8-)

[Steve]

On the lawn is fine but I would suggest to have the chlorine below 1 ppm. As Chas said, often, it is the most lush part of your lawn!

[Hillbilly Hot Tub]

Normally if the sanitizer level is low, water your yard, but since you said you are using spa flush, I would be careful where you dump that stuff. Whats in it? Some of them are harsh chemicals, some are all natural and won't hurt anything.

[Calypso]

Has anyone drained their spa that uses a salt water system and a bromine generator. I know I will have to shut down the bromine generator to reduce the bromine. The sodium bromide is only 2000 parts per million which is a low salt content so that show not be an issue.

I will probably let it flow into the drainage ditch behind our property or Icould use it to water the plants/lawn.

[Mr._Bubbles]

On the lawn is fine but I would suggest to have the chlorine below 1 ppm. As Chas said, often, it is the most lush part of your lawn!

Honestly, I have drained it with much higher levels with no problems.  I just don’t like the idea of letting my chlorine drop that low.

[Steve]

Honestly, I have drained it with much higher levels with no problems.  I just don’t like the idea of letting my chlorine drop that low.

I'm sure many have but giving advise here in general terms, I would rather be cautious in my recommendations than have someone pissed at me for burning their lawn.

Does it really matter that the levels drop that low if all you're doing is draining it?  :-? On a fresh fill, it is recommended to shock the water anyway so no biggie really.

[Mr._Bubbles]

I'm sure many have but giving advise here in general terms, I would rather be cautious in my recommendations than have someone pissed at me for burning their lawn.

Does it really matter that the levels drop that low if all you're doing is draining it?  :-? On a fresh fill, it is recommended to shock the water anyway so no biggie really.

I agree with you, especially when you’re talking about delicate plants or grass.  I was just saying, I usually don’t let my chlorine level drop before a drain.  In fact, I’ve shocked a day before with no issues.  I only did this because I knew my spa was going to set dry in a shop for a month, waiting for a repair.

If I am not mistaken, you can use peroxide to neutralize the chlorine. I never tried it, so I can’t comment on that.  At least this would not allow the tub to set a period of time with a low sanitizer level.

[Mr._Bubbles]

Oops..