Here's How Much It'll Cost You To Fill Your Pool With Water

If you've always dreamed of having your very own swimming pool in your backyard, chances are you've considered the cost of installing one. However, getting the pool in place is only the beginning. Inground and above ground pools require maintenance, and what about filling them with water? That's an expense often overlooked by homeowners that can tack on a considerable amount. How much can you expect to spend? The national average cost is $900, yet it could cost as little as $40 or as much as $2,000 (via Home Guide).

You'll have to do some math to estimate the real cost of filling your own pool based on its size. This means dividing the gallon capacity of your pool by 1,000 and then multiplying that number by how much your city charges per 1,000 gallons of water (usually between $4 and $10). At the same time you get to choose between slowly filling the pool with your trusty garden hose or having water trucked in. The method you choose will impact how much your overall cost will be, whether you're filling it for the first time or refilling it after getting it cleaned or repaired.

If you decide to use your garden hose to fill your swimming pool, that can be the most economical route to take. Some areas do have water usage and pool filling restrictions, though, so find out about any associated fines you might be subject to for excessive water use before you begin. Other utility districts use averaging to set your bills for the year, so it's wise to let them know you'll be filling a pool so you can avoid paying more than you need to throughout the following year. Other than that, the standard formula will apply: (pool capacity in gallons/1,000) x cost per 1,000 gallons = total cost.

You can also opt for the quicker method of having water trucked in to fill your pool. You'll be charged for the water, and delivery charges and fees for labor will also be tacked on to the total bill. Again, the cost depends on how many gallons your pool holds. A 20,000-gallon pool, for example, would likely need several truckloads of water running between $600 and $2,400 in total.

It's always good to know you have options. You can go cheap and slow with a garden hose or fast and more costly having water trucked in. If you have a small above ground pool or hot tub, the garden hose can be a no-brainer in many situations. For very large pools, though, it might take much longer than you'd like to fill it with a hose. That's where trucking in water can make sense.

In areas using well water, you'll want to check with your pool builder to see if you should plan on having water trucked in. You'll have to add chemicals at the very least to get the chlorine and pH levels correct when filling a pool with well water just like with municipal water. Some well water can be harmful to pool equipment, so it's better to avoid those types of issues by getting it tested before you get started. Running a well dry is also an issue to consider, since drilling a new one can cost even more than trucking in water in the first place.