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Homeowners interested in installing pools in their backyards need not worry about the potential impact of such decisions on surrounding landscapes.

Your pool - At home in your lawn

According to the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals, there are 10.4 million residential and 309,000 public swimming pools in the United States. Although the average monthly temperatures in Canada are lower than those throughout much of the United States, many Canadian homeowners still have pools in their backyards. Quebec is home to the most pools per capita for Canada, with some estimates suggesting the province has more than 300,000 backyard pools, according to Pool and Spa Marketing magazine.

Many homeowners wonder if the chlorine and other chemicals in pool water have any affect on the lawn, particularly if pool water robs lawns of vital nutrients they need to thrive. But the resource All About Lawns says most people needn’t worry about errant drops or even higher levels of overflow. It all comes down to the selectivity of grass. Blades of grass are particular about which nutrients from the water they absorb and in what quantities. Lawns are largely unaffected by chlorine. Furthermore, soil can withstand chlorine when kept at applicable sanitary levels (which generally range between two to three parts per million), at high acid levels. That’s much more than is usually contained in pool water. Pool water is also maintained in the neutral range at a pH of 6.5 to 7.8, which is safe for plants. Should the pool water test at a higher acidity or alkalinity, it can adversely affect landscapes, particularly delicate plants.

Pool owners should be diligent about smart application and storage of pool chemicals. Powdered or liquid chlorine and other water chemistry products that spill onto grass or plants may cause damage. In safe amounts, chlorine should not adversely affect lawns and other plants that surround pools.

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