Splash away! Pool water is safe water

Swimming pools offer excellent opportunities for both exercise and relaxation. If you get a chance to take the plunge this summer, no need to worry about the safety of the water during a pandemic. Rest assured—pools are safe if they’re filled with water from Louisville Water Company and are properly maintained.

The water in both public and private pools in our service area is safe for the same reason your drinking water is safe. Studies show the disinfection we use to treat water—chlorine—kills water-borne viruses.

“Encapsulated viruses, such as COVID-19, are highly susceptible to disinfectants used by Louisville Water and those used to disinfect public and private pools and other water features,” said Peter Goodmann, Louisville Water’s Director of Water Quality and Research.

Public Pools 

At this writing, Kentucky’s community pools haven’t opened yet. Under Governor Andy Beshear’s Healthy At Work guidelines, aquatic centers were allowed to open for training and exercise on June 1 if they agreed to follow certain restrictions.

When other public pools do open, they’ll be filled with our safe water, and the facilities themselves should be safe as long as they’re correctly maintained. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “proper operation and disinfection of pools, hot tubs, and water playgrounds should kill the virus that causes COVID-19.”

The CDC also noted that “individuals should continue to protect themselves and others … both in and out of the water – for example, by staying at least 6 feet away from people you don’t live with and wearing cloth face covers when not in the water.”

Goodmann pointed out that “caution should be employed in areas away from a pool or water features that may pose risks as these areas are not continuously disinfected. In addition, water features that are not designated for water recreation purposes, such as public fountains, should not be presumed to be safe.”

You’ll find extensive information on safe operation of pools and other water venues on the CDC website.

Private Pools

Louisville Water provides temporary water meters for customers who want to use a hose connected to a fire hydrant to fill their pools.

This is usually much faster than filling a pool with a garden hose connected to a residential faucet, but you’ll need to pick up the temporary meter from our Meter Shop Building at 4801 Allmond Avenue.

You’ll also have to find a Louisville Water-owned hydrant near your house. You’ll need enough hoses to reach it, and you’ll want to keep an eye on the temporary meter to make sure it isn’t stolen.

Please visit Temporary Water Service Meters for details and to complete an application.