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Swimming Pools and Water Evaporation

Restrictions in California and around the U.S. to reduce water usage likely have you thinking about conserving every last drop.

As a swimming-pool owner, your pool water evaporation rate is one area where you can take precautionary steps to preserve as much water as possible.

If you notice the level of water in your pool is dropping, first figure out if it’s from evaporation or a leak. A high loss of water may mean there’ a leakage somewhere, which will pose a more significant issue than evaporation.

The Science Behind Evaporation

Water evaporation rates vary based on water temperature, air temperature, wind speed, wind volatility, sun exposure, and humidity levels. The average pool water evaporation rate is about a quarter of an inch of water per day or more than two inches in a week, which on a 33′ x 18′ swimming pool (an average pool size) is more than 2500 liters or approximately 600 gallons a week; this may vary depending on your climate and the factors listed above.

Prevent Pool Water Evaporation with a Pool Cover

Based on research into reducing water evaporation rates in tanks, reservoirs, and pans, we can surmise that the exposed surface area of a contained body of water is proportionate to evaporation levels. In other words, the more a pool is covered, the less water will be lost to evaporation.

Impermeable floating sheet covers over the entire surface area of the water reduce evaporation by 100% according to the Urban Water Security Research Alliance Technical Report No. 28. Mesh covers are more commonly used in pools and offer a level of fit that a “bubble wrap” covering cannot.

Our Katchaleaf mesh covers offer a 70% shade, which eliminates a fair amount of sun and wind evaporation. Research shows “a decrease in daily evaporation of 75% and 83% for single and double-layer [mesh] shade respectively.”

Pool Water Evaporation Calculator

A Katchaleaf mesh pool cover may take your average daily pool water evaporation rate loss of 1/4th inch of water and bring it down to 1/16th of an inch or less. That’s less than a half an inch of pool water evaporation in a week!

Reduce Evaporation with a Katchaleaf Mesh Pool Cover

Even though California’s new water restrictions are focused on indoor water usage, it’s a good idea to start thinking about water conservation and ways to prevent evaporation loss. Water preservation and usage will remain a valid topic of discussion for the years ahead.

More Ways To Conserve Pool Water

Contact us now for a free, no-obligation quote on a Katchaleaf Mesh Pool Cover and start saving water!

The Katchaleaf mesh pool cover has not been designed with safety in mind. For a pool safety cover with shade coverage learn more about our Katchakid Pool Safety Net and Combination Mesh Pool Cover.