Houston Pool Leak Detection

Houston City Code Sec. 47-741 makes any non stormwater discharge to the storm sewer an offense, but lists dechlorinated swimming pool water as an affirmative defense. That means pool water should be dechlorinated before it goes near a street drain. A separate rule bars pools from being built to discharge into a sanitary sewer or public drainage system without written approval, so confirm with Houston Public Works before draining.

Houston's water shortage rules count filling or adding to a pool, spa or whirlpool as outdoor water use. In Stage 2, pool filling is lawful only during the declared 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. windows on scheduled days. Stage 3 makes all outdoor use unlawful and Stage 4 also caps single family use at 4,000 gallons a month. Check the stage with Houston Public Works before a large fill or refill.

We look after pools across Houston, including Houston Heights, Montrose, Downtown Houston, Midtown, Rice Military and Washington Corridor. The full list of areas is on our Houston page. If you do not see yours, get in touch and we will confirm.

The usual suspects differ. Vinyl liners tend to leak through tears, punctures or around fittings and faceplates, while concrete and plaster pools are more likely to leak through cracks or at tile lines, lights and returns. Dye testing works on both.

Some water loss is normal, especially in hot, dry or windy weather and after heavy use. A leak is more likely when the level keeps dropping faster than the weather explains, when it drops even with the pump off, when the ground near the pool or equipment stays wet or when you are adding water every few days. A simple bucket test (a bucket of pool water on a step, comparing the two levels after a day) helps separate the two, and a leak detection visit confirms it.