backwash water

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tarotwoman
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backwash water

Postby tarotwoman » Tue Sep 08, 2009 11:34 am

Hi,

I have a problem with a neighbours backwash water. When he backwashes his pool all the backwash water ends up at the back of my house. His house is not adjacent to mine but the water eventually ends up on my property. As it is backwash water is is full of chlorine and other chemicals. He is aware of this problem as he has been asked nicely twice now to stop - his answer, 'he has nowhere else to put it and I'm making a fuss over a bit of water.' As anyone with a pool knows it is not a 'bit of water', it is a lot of water in a short time causing flooding if the water has nowhere to go. I myself have 2 1,000 litre tanks that I backwash into, then after a couple of days I can use this water for my garden.

Does anyone know what the law is regarding this, and is the water classed as contaminated as it contains chemicals with put directly on plants without a period of settlement will kill them.

Any help will be much appreciated.

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Re: backwash water

Postby Laslomas » Tue Sep 08, 2009 1:04 pm

As far as I am aware this cannot be just let onto the land like this. We were told by our Ayuntamiento that it is illegal to do so. Because of this I also have a problem with backwash water. For 5 years there was no problem, then the Town Hall realised that where I live the houses were letting water from their pools directly into a valley. This was the way they had been built. They said this was illegal. So they came along and put pipes onto the outlets from the houses, and fed them all into another new pipe that was to take the water away to waste. All sounds great, but the first day a neighbour cleaned his pool our terrace was flooded by the water coming up through our outdoor shower drain. This happened again when the house two doors away did a backwash. When we reported this problem no-one would believe us, it was only happening to us. We asked the plumbers to come by and see for themselves. They fitted a valve that was supposed to only allow our water down, and nothing back up. But it still happens. Luckily we hear some loud gurgling noises first as a warning then the flood comes. so we did get a chance to pick things up. As a temporary measure we have had to seal off the shower drain, but this is not a solution so we will have to get a bit more forceful with the authorities that fitted it, or we may have to 'accidently' damage the pipe!

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Devils Advocate
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Re: backwash water

Postby Devils Advocate » Tue Sep 08, 2009 1:40 pm

Just a couple of points and comments on this from my own personal experience.
Our pools backwash pipe (2" flexi rubber) is directed to a hollow dug out around a massive fig tree (and I mean massive) some 10 metres down the sloping hillside on our land, this I assume was inspected and passed but who knows?

We/I only backwash once a year anyway on the July Holiday, the Fig tree just "glugs" the lot and must be the heaviest laden tree in Southern Europe when it fruits :mrgreen:..there is never any sign of a stream or rivulet past the tree.

I have to say if there was a house down wind of it I'd be a bit wary about this set up but the nearest house in that direction is a good mile away.

I think it's out of order to build a pool directly above another persons house though with a backwash pipe aimed at the the terrace :?

Out of interest, how many times a year do these guys backwash?, as I said I do 30 seconds a year plus a 10 second rinse and the water is crystal with the pressure gauges' needle always sitting snuggly in the middle of the green.

I do know some people are back wash fetishists though :roll: and can understand how a problem could occur living below somebody continually playing at pool maintenance :idea:

Good luck
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tarotwoman
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Re: backwash water

Postby tarotwoman » Tue Sep 08, 2009 1:47 pm

Thanks for your reply, I thought it would be illegal but was not sure. Since I wrote the post, another backwash has been done so I have been to see the local police. The police officer has said she will come out to see him. This is a bit difficult because he is in England, he has switched his phone off, but the backwashes are continuing because someone else is seeing to his pool. She said she will still come out despite him not being here to see if she can find out contact details for him from neighbours. I am hoping that even a quiet word from her will make him sort it out because he is the sort that likes to think himself 'the good guy'. He will hate the police calling at his house and chasing him up. I'll let you know what happens.

By the way, to block a pipe, the foam you get in a aerosol and sets hard would work wonders. I have thought of it myself but I would have to trespass to do so and have more chance of resolving this if I have done nothing wrong myself.

Devils advocate has just posted a reply since I did this one and in answer to that, this pool was backwashed Sunday morning, and then again this morning. The area never dries out.

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malagaman2005
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Re: backwash water

Postby malagaman2005 » Tue Sep 08, 2009 1:56 pm

I've obviously been given duff information as the instructions I 'inherited' with the house says a backwash and filter rinse should be done everytime the pool is cleaned, is this wrong then?
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Re: backwash water

Postby chrissiehope » Tue Sep 08, 2009 1:59 pm

yes, we were told that too :) - it's only a very short one tho - just until the water runs clear (which is about 20 secs)

Our water goes across the track & into the olive grove, so I think that bit's OK :P
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Re: backwash water

Postby Devils Advocate » Tue Sep 08, 2009 2:02 pm

I was told that too but decided it was daft backwashing when water ran clear instantly whenever I tried it..........and again it is only a holiday home, so pool is covered from dust for 43 weeks per year.
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tarotwoman
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Re: backwash water

Postby tarotwoman » Tue Sep 08, 2009 2:06 pm

I think it depends on how dirty the pool gets and the best indiction is your filter dial. There is such a lot of building work around us that the pool is hoovered every week and each time it is hoovered the dial is in the yellow, if it is not backwashed the hoover does not work properly. Hence the need for 2 1,000 litre tanks for our backwash water.

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malagaman2005
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Re: backwash water

Postby malagaman2005 » Tue Sep 08, 2009 2:11 pm

Same here, very dusty in the campo, I backwash for about 20-30 seconds until it runs clear and the hoover and skimmers work much better after.
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Re: backwash water

Postby Beachcomber » Tue Sep 08, 2009 3:23 pm

Failing to backwash the sand regularly can lead to a whole host of problems. Backwashing doesn't just remove the debris collected in the sand but also lifts and separates the grains which helps to stop it solidifying into a hard block.

You should backwash and rinse the filter every time you vacuum the pool.
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tarotwoman
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Re: backwash water

Postby tarotwoman » Tue Sep 08, 2009 3:35 pm

I wish my neighbour would fail to backwash his pool regularly, then the problems would be his and not mine.

tarotwoman
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Re: backwash water

Postby tarotwoman » Sun Oct 11, 2009 8:45 pm

Hi,

Sorry to come back to this problem but it is still persisting. This morning after my 'neighbours' backwashed again, I walked round to see exactly where the water was coming from. I have to walk around their house to do this (not on their property). When they saw me, the wife as well, I was subjected to a stream of abuse from both of them which gradually got more nasty and malicious when I did not answer. I did not answer as I did not want to be drawn in to a slanging match.

If anyone ones the exact bit of legislation about disposal of backwash water it would be much appreciated as I can be armed with this when I go to see the police on Tuesday (tomorrow is bank holiday.

Thanks


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