Filling a Pool with a Water Truck (All You Need to Know)

Whether you have just installed your new swimming pool, or you had it drained for maintenance and now it needs to be refilled, there are a few options when it comes to filling your pool. You could use your garden hose however many find this to be costly and inefficient. An efficient alternative is to hire a water truck.

Water trucks are tanker trucks that can transport large amounts of water to areas where swimming pools and other landscaping projects require immense volumes of water. Hiring a water truck can be more cost-effective compared to filling a pool with a garden hose and is guaranteed to fill your pool in significantly less time.

Along with being more cost and time-efficient than other methods of filling your pool, there are a few other reasons you may want to consider hiring a water truck to fill your pool.

What is a Water Truck?

A water truck is a large vehicle with a rear-located tank that hauls water to and from sites, particularly when swimming pools need to be filled or large landscaped bodies of water. These vehicles come equipped with nozzles on the rear or side of the truck to control and direct the flow of water when it is being emptied.

Water truck tank sizes can vary based on the size of the job. Interestingly, water tanks are always cylindrical in shape as opposed to rectangular to mitigate any structural weak points on the tank that would otherwise require extra reinforcement.

Why Use a Water Truck To Fill Pool?

There are a few reasons you might consider using a water truck to fill your pool as opposed to water sources from your home. For starters, water trucks will typically deliver spring or distilled water which can then be treated with pool maintenance chemicals or salt before use.

This can be useful if you live in a remote location and only have access to well water which is not suitable for a swimming pool. You also run the risk of damaging your well pump or your well running dry due to the immense amount of water required to fill a swimming pool.

Having a water truck fill your pool can be more cost-effective if you usually have a high water bill. In hiring a water delivery truck, you will only pay an upfront one-time fee as opposed to having it show up later on your home bills.

While it can seem easiest to fill your pool with water from your garden hose, it might not be convenient. On average, it can take a regular garden hose 12-24 hours to fill a swimming pool. By contrast, a water delivery truck can fill your pool at an approximate rate of 45 minutes per tanker (based on the amount of water needed for your pool).

How Much Does It Cost to Have a Water Truck Fill a Pool?

You will find that most water truck companies calculate the cost of filling your pool based on the dimensions of your pool to ascertain the gallons of water needed to fill it.

Water truck companies usually charge a set rate for every 1000 gallons of water required to fill your pool, offering cheaper rates if more water is required. You should check with your local water truck companies for rates or deals they may offer as it can vary slightly between regions.

Many people find the cost of hiring a water truck company to be an attractive option, especially when combined with the significantly lower amount of time required to fill a pool and mitigating costs that would otherwise show up on your home’s water bill for that month.

Is It Cheaper to Get a Water Truck to Fill the Pool?

Based on water bills, many pool owners find it cheaper to hire a water truck to fill their pools as opposed to using their garden hose. Hiring a water truck also saves time and can be scheduled around your work so that you do not need to be home to otherwise supervise a garden hose filling your pool.

Typically water truck companies charge a set rate for every 1000 gallons of water needed, offering slightly cheaper rates the larger your pool is.

How Long Does It Take a Water Truck to Fill a Pool?

How long it takes a water truck to fill your pool largely depends on the size and dimensions of your pool. Some water truck companies will determine how many gallons of water you need by calculating the length by the width by the depth of the pool with some variances based on the shape of your pool.

Typically, it takes one water truck tanker approximately 45 minutes to empty into a pool.

How Do Water Trucks Fill Up Your Pool?

First, you should determine how far away your pool is from where a water truck will be able to park as there are some distance limitations on how far away a water tanker can properly empty its water from.

Once the water delivery truck arrives, they will likely park with the rear of the truck facing towards the pool as this is where the large drainage nozzles will be. Once the drainage hoses are connected to the truck with the other end sitting in the pool, the operator will allow the water to be released into the pool.

Because the hoses used are significantly larger than a garden hose, the water flowing from a water truck tank will do so at a higher velocity and fill quicker than if the latter were used. This video depicts a general idea of how water is emptied from a tanker truck into a new swimming pool.

Will the Fire Department Fill My Pool?

Technically, fire departments can fill your pool however the more pressing question is will they fill your pool if you ask? Usually, if you ask your local fire department to fill your pool, they will say no for a few reasons.

The most important reason is that it is not a valuable use of their time and equipment especially if an emergency arises. They need to be prepared at a moment’s notice to tend to fires and other emergencies that require their manpower and equipment.

If your local fire department agrees to fill your pool, you can expect a fee for doing so which is usually donated to charities by the fire department.  If you are looking to hire a third party to fill your pool for you, the best option is to opt for a water truck.

Lastly, most fire departments do not wish to set the expectation with the general public that they are the ones to fill pools as this can lead to issues with other public and emergency services.

How to Find Water Truck Delivery Near You?

To find water truck delivery services near you, you can search for them on Google. You can also check with local pool companies or pool installation companies as they are likely to know of businesses that use water delivery trucks for pools.

Alternately, if you live in a neighborhood with many swimming pools, you can reach out to area realtors, carpenters, or home builders for any water truck delivery services they may know of.

Conclusion

Hiring a water truck delivery service is a great option when your pool needs to be filled. It will likely save costs on your water bill along with saving you time and personal effort that would otherwise be required when filling the pool through other methods.

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