Getting new liner in June, can I drain now?

[Thurston]

The pool water level has dropped down to where there's none in the shallow end and the deep end has only a few feet left. Before is becomes even more of a mess, can I drain it completely or will it cause problems?

Inground, steel walls and vinyl liner.

 

[zea3]

If your liner will hold water you need to fill the pool up until it's time to change the liner. The water in thepool is providing structural support for the pool walls. If you get a big rain while the pool is empty you run the risk of having the sides collapse into the pool. It can also mess up the floor of the pool and cause more damage.
Is the liner currently leaking or is water loss from evaporation?

 

[Thurston]

Thanks for the reply! The liner leaks. Steel walls are at risk? Really? The ground part makes sense assuming its sand or something under the liner floor.

The tarp-style cover it usually held up in part by the water surface. But since the water is leaking the cover dropped into the pool. Was hoping to pump out the remainder to avoid a swamp for the next 2 months

 

[Newdude]

Steel walls are at risk? Really?

The weight of the dirt around them, which greatly increases when wet can amount to a small scale mudslide. Your steel walls are durable to the elements, they are not structural to withstand tons of dirt pushing them.

If you wanted to make them structural you would need to brace the walls with lumber between them so they couldn’t collapse inward.

 

[jimmythegreek]

Add a ton of bleach to the water and fill it back up the best you can. We are im rainy season in the northeast not a good time to take chances

 

[Thurston]

Just wanted to follow up on this. I ended up pumping the water out and it was fine. Walls are aluminum (not steel) and the bottom is vermiculite. 9 1/2 foot deep end and no issues!

I'm sure it would've been safer to reinforce the walls or try to bleach the heck out of it for 2 1/2 months, but I didn't. Tomorrow the new liner goes in and we're filling it up.

 

[Newdude]

None of us were rooting against you, we just had to advise you down the safest path. People get lucky everyday. Woohoo that it was your turn !!