HELP! Big Groundwater Problem has ruined my liner. Can't replace it until we resolve groundwater problem

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J

Jackc

Member
Jul 7, 2019
10
Methuen, MA
This spring we finally bit the bullet when our groundwater problem ruined another liner. This is the second one. You see the groundwater level in my area is so high that it causes a huge bubble in the shallow end and floats the liner. We did not know this when we bought the house and it has not happened every season. We have been able to re-stretch the liner and have put up with the wrinkles. However, now the liner has torn. Our pool guy has told us that we have to fix the groundwater problem now and we agree. Here is the issue, in order to fix the problem we have to tear up the liner and, put in a couple of pumps underneath the liner to pump out the groundwater when it gets too high. We also have to cement the pool bottom underneath the liner. The pool guy estimated the cost to be between 10-15k.
To make matters worse, after a couple of weeks of waiting, he just informed us that he is not comfortable doing the job. It's too big for him and he can't find a subcontractor to help him. Now I am looking at a big empty hole in my backyard while calling around to pool companies to see who can do the whole job. They are all booked until August and some just don't want to deal with all the issues. I have a very large pool; about 50,000 gallons.

I really need some help here. I am willing to spend the money to finally get this right. But I don't know what right is. Any advice?

Desperate in Methuen
 
Dont leave a liner pool empty or the walls can collapse. Brace the walls with plywood and 2x4s until you can fill the pool.

@jimmythegreek @Rich D thoughts?
 
Hi, welcome to TFP! I have a few questions for you. Is this your pool maintenance guy? Have you had a pool repair company come give an estimate? Do you know what the source of the ground water is? Did he want to repair damage to the pool floor by using concrete or is this one of his proposed solutions to the ground water problem? I would look into having a wellpoint installed, and depending on the source of the groundwater, look at having it redirected. A reputable pool builder should be able to install a well point. If you know who built the pool you could check with them and see if they still have any of the construction info. There may be a wellpoint somewhere within about six-12 feet of the deep end of the pool if it was known to have a ground water issue at the time the pool was built. If the ground water is a rain run-off issue you might look into having a professional landscape designer come out and give an estimate for a drainage system to divert water away from the pool.
 
Dont bother with that guy concrete ismt gonna fix anything. First let's start with some good pics. I want to see the whole property grade and what type of decking is around the pool and pics of all four sides of decking.
The easiest repair at this point is several sump pits. They need to ne near the pool walls unless you have grade changing then maybe a curtain drain into a pit or daylight would work. I would call a drainage company or basement waterproofing contractor before that pool guy
 
jimmythegreek said:
Dont bother with that guy concrete ismt gonna fix anything. First let's start with some good pics. I want to see the whole property grade and what type of decking is around the pool and pics of all four sides of decking.
The easiest repair at this point is several sump pits. They need to ne near the pool walls unless you have grade changing then maybe a curtain drain into a pit or daylight would work. I would call a drainage company or basement waterproofing contractor before that pool guy
Click to expand...
Ok, first, the original owners are long gone.The source of the groundwater is either from s pond just beyond the pool or an underground stream adjacent to the pool
 
Here are some pictures of my pool. thanks for your help. sorry, the pictures are too large for the server. If you send me your email, I'll send you the pictures directly.
(Removed e-mail address.. Jim R.)

THanks
jack
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Could you also clarify what actually occurred and when it occurred and what you have done to the pool. By the sounds of it your liner floated with this springs high water and was torn. Did you do anything at that time? How high was the water before today's rain and how high is it now? Do you have a basement, and if so do you have flooding issues in the basement?

Thanks, Rich
 
Rich, unfortunately, the high groundwater level is natural. It's not due to rain. I have a pond just in back of my pool on the other side of my fence and an underground stream to the side of my pool. The previous owner should have built the pool at least 3 feet further up on the property. The groundwater has floated the liner in the past but it receded and we put the liner back in place. This year it tore the liner and we realized we needed a final solution or we would continue to lose liners. i have a split level and have never had any water problems in the house.

Thanks, Jack
 

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Can you clarify what you mean by "receded" ? Does the ground water stop entering the pool in the summer? How high is it now? Does the water level in the pond change that much as well or is water level of the pond the ame year round?
 
BY receded, I mean the bubble that I get in the low end, which can be 3-ft high, recedes, just leaving wrinkles. The water level in the pool itself doesn't change . The water level in the pond can go up and down depending upon rainfall. Did you get the pictures I emailed you?
 
Because, I have put in fence posts for my fence which is adjacent to the pool and have seen the water. Even in seasons where we have little snow in the winter and a relatively dry spring, the liner still gets that bump and floats.
 
Seems strange they dropped the pool that low. That certainly did not help the issue.
Any idea what type of soil is down there? If it is a well draining soil you might be able to get away with just one sump in the grass by the diving board. However at least one additional sump at the other end of the pool would be very good insurance. Have you ever done any deep excavations or seen the neighbors do any digging. Do you have drainage for the gutter downspouts and if so where does that drainage end up? We would really need some estimated elevation changes to give more advice. How much does the yard drop from edge of patio to your back fence? Do you own any more property past the fence towards the pond. Approx how far down is the pond level from top of pool deck? If you stand at the ponds edge and look level towards the house are you looking at the bottom of your fence? I have resized the pics for you. We really could use some more pics from behind diving board looking towards pond and one from the edge of pond looking at back of house/fence.poolphoto3_copy_1512x2016.jpgpoolhoto1_copy_1512x2016.jpgpoolphoto2_copy_1512x2016.jpg
 
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