Alpharetta Pool Draining and Backwash Rules

Draining a pool or backwashing a filter seems simple, but where the water goes is regulated, and draining in clay soils with high groundwater can damage the pool.

This guide summarizes what the City's pool guide says and practical precautions.

What the City's pool guide says

The City of Alpharetta's pool permitting guide quotes Fulton County Code §82-237(a)(2): discharging swimming pool drainage into the public sewer system is prohibited unless specifically authorized, and backwash filters must drain to an absorption pit.

Absorption pits

An absorption pit lets backwash soak into the ground on your property. In clay soils it must be sized and located so water does not pond or run off. Ask your builder how it is designed.

Groundwater and hydrostatic pressure

Never drain a pool without professional advice. High groundwater in wet seasons can lift a fiberglass shell or crack concrete. Contractors may use relief valves and drain only when conditions allow.

Chemical levels

Let chlorine levels drop before releasing water onto landscaping, and avoid sending water toward streams, storm drains or neighbors.

Ask before you drain

Because the rule allows sewer discharge only when specifically authorized, check with the City or Fulton County about any approved methods before draining.

Planning a drain with your contractor

If draining is unavoidable, schedule it during a dry spell when groundwater is lower, and have the contractor confirm relief valves and any hydrostatic protection before pumping. Plan how long the pool will stay empty and protect the finish from sun exposure. Agree on where water will go and get any authorization needed before work begins. Keep the permanent fence closed and gates latched throughout, because an empty pool is a fall hazard. After refilling, follow the contractor's start-up program for the finish and equipment.

When draining is necessary

Owners drain for resurfacing, major repairs, or when dissolved solids are too high to balance. Many problems can be solved without full draining, through partial water replacement or filtration. Ask a pool professional before deciding.

Safety, fencing and supervision

Whatever the project, the pool area has to stay safe while work is underway and after it is finished. The City's pool guide requires a 4-foot construction safety barrier from the first day of excavation, a permanent fence 5 to 6 feet high, and no filling until permanent fencing is in place; a pool may not be used until it passes final inspection and receives a Certificate of Completion. During renovations or repairs, keep gates self-closing and latched, remove ladders and furniture that children could climb, and make sure crews close the site at the end of each day. After the work, review supervision habits, consider pool alarms or safety covers as extra layers, and walk the fence line each season to catch damaged panels, gaps under gates or overgrown landscaping that could help a child climb over.

Why backwash goes to an absorption pit

Filter backwash carries debris, organic matter and chemicals. The City's pool guide quotes the Fulton County rule that backwash filters must drain to an absorption pit rather than the public sewer. An absorption pit lets backwash soak into soil on your property. In clay, the pit needs enough volume and a gravel bed so it does not overflow. Cartridge filters, which are rinsed rather than backwashed, reduce how much water goes to the pit.

Partial water replacement instead of draining

High calcium, cyanuric acid or dissolved solids can sometimes be corrected by partially draining and refilling over several days rather than emptying the pool. This reduces groundwater risk and keeps the finish wet. Ask a pool professional whether partial replacement solves your problem.

Storm season and overflow

Heavy storms can overfill pools. Owners sometimes pump down after storms; keep chlorinated discharge away from storm drains and streams and ask the City or Fulton County about approved methods.

Pumps and hoses

Use a submersible pump sized for the job and route hoses so they do not cross sidewalks or create trip hazards. Monitor the discharge throughout, and stop if water starts leaving the property toward a street, storm drain or neighbor's yard.

Talk to the pool's builder first

If the pool is under warranty, check with the original builder before draining for any reason. Some warranties exclude damage from draining done by others, and the builder may know details about the shell, relief valves or groundwater on your lot that a new contractor would not. The builder's records can also show whether the shell was designed with a hydrostatic relief valve at all, which affects how safely it can be emptied.

Document the date, method and destination of any drain in case questions come up later. A written plan helps anyone who services the pool send water to the right place every time.

Before draining, lower the chlorine level and check that the discharge route will not send water onto a neighbor's lot or into a stream.

Published pool renovation cost estimates

Sources: Angi: Pool resurfacing cost (2026); Angi: Saltwater pool conversion cost (2026); Angi: Pool removal cost (2026); Angi: Pool heater cost (2026). Figures are published national or regional estimates compiled by those sites, labeled as estimates; they are not quotes and not prices from any provider on this site. National published estimates; North Fulton access, slope and HOA requirements can move local prices.

Local rules and code references

• Fulton County Code §82-237(a)(2) (as quoted in the City pool guide): prohibits discharging swimming pool drainage into the public sewer system unless specifically authorized; backwash filters must drain to an absorption pit.
• City of Alpharetta, Swimming Pool Permitting & Inspections Procedures (rev. 2026): the City's pool guide: permits required before construction (ISPSC §105.1), 4-foot construction safety barrier from the first day of excavation, permanent fence 5 to 6 feet high, no filling without permanent fencing (UDC §2.3.3.B), final inspection and Certificate of Completion before use (ISPSC §113.1).
• Georgia DCA, State Minimum Standard Codes: Georgia's adopted construction codes; the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code with Georgia amendments applies to residential pools.
• City of Alpharetta Unified Development Code (Municode): the City's zoning and development code, including fencing, setback and buffer rules referenced by the pool guide.

Code text and department procedures change; confirm current requirements with the jurisdiction before work starts.