How to connect this under-pool flexible pipe to a pump?

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petepool

Bronze Supporter
Sep 1, 2019
105
NJ
My pool builder installed a flexible white pipe (looks like 2") in the gravel bed under the deep end of my pool. He said it was to evacuate ground water if the pool was ever being emptied.

The other end of that pipe terminates near my equipment pad which you can see below. How does one actually connect that pipe to a pump? Any recommended connectors? Is it intended to connect to a separate standalone pump, or is there way a permanently pipe it to my pool pump (with a manual valve setup to pull water from that pipe and discharge it, instead of running the pool)?

I'm trying to use it as a way to reduce ground water level from around the pool during rare periods of heavy rain (to prevent a floating liner). There was no sump pit installed when the pool was built so I'm trying to find an easier solution.



PXL_20250504_121031040.jpg
 
petepool said:
Thanks, that will work. Any recommendations on piping it into my pool pump so I can use it to discharge? My setup is below.
Click to expand...

You can connect it with a diverter valve to the suction side of your plumbing, but I doubt that pipe will give your pool pump enough water. You do not know how much water flow the pump will get.

You will be risking damaging a $2,000 pump.

It's better to get a separate trash pump that you can connect to the pipe if you want to pump out water.
 
is there an electric trash pump that would be powerful enough for this, or only gas? The length of that white pipe is probably about 60' to the bottom of the deep end. I have an outlet right there so electric would be more convenient than a gas one.

I wonder if i need to fill the pipe with water first all the way to prime it.
 
petepool said:
is there an electric trash pump that would be powerful enough for this, or only gas? The length of that white pipe is probably about 60' to the bottom of the deep end. I have an outlet right there so electric would be more convenient than a gas one.

I wonder if i need to fill the pipe with water first all the way to prime it.
Click to expand...
The whole setup is non-standard. You need to try it and see what works.
 
petepool said:
I wonder if i need to fill the pipe with water first all the way to prime it.
Click to expand...
Now, it will self level with the ground water, likely.

You probably want a "self-priming" a) transfer pump or b) utility pump or c) marine pump.

As Allen already said, your setup is non-standard.
 
thanks, non-standard is right. trying to land at the best solution.

my long term plan is to install a sump pit near the 6.5' deep end for a submersible pump. But I'm not sure if it will help, since below about 4' is just virgin dirt. They only dug that far down on all sides to install the steel pool walls, and backfilled with compacted RCA. The deep end has gravel *below* it, but not along the outside below the RCA

So would I be wasting my time digging a 10" diameter hole down 6-7' for a sump pit? Only the top 4' of that hole would be RCA where water could theoretically "flow" into the pit. The bottom part if it would be dug into virgin compacted soil (even if I am adding some gravel to the bottom of the pit itself), so I imagine harder for water to find its way into the pit.

If there's no benefit digging into virgin soil, should I just stop at 4'? And if so, there's no need for the pit to be at the deep end vs. the shallow end.

Here's my pool during construction before backfill. The grading of the yard is towards on the back left corner (11 o'clock in picture).


IMG_20200401_093349.jpg
 
Why not wait until you see where you have a water problem to figure out where to dig sump pit’s?
 
To clarify, there is a known ground water issue since I open every spring with a wrinkled liner from it having floated in the winter (due to a lowered water level). A few times during the summer even with a full pool it also floats temporarily during very heavy rain.

You mention trying to see where there is a water problem but is there a way to determine that? I just assumed there is no "where", the water is just everywhere all around/under the pool if the water table is high. My liner only floats on the shallow end, if that helps.

thanks for the education, I maintain my own pool but still learning about ground water remediation.
 

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petepool said:
My liner only floats on the shallow end, if that helps.
Click to expand...
Then I would place the sump pit by the shallow end.

You are never going to pump out all ground water. You want to move the water away from the areas it is causing a problem.
 
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