By Rick Howard, Rick’s Pool Service, FSPA Education Committee Chairman

1. Remove large debris with a deep leaf rake type net.

2. If the pool has a large amount of sand and/or sea water, evaluate if draining is necessary. Be careful of the elevated groundwater potential.

3. If you don’t have power, add chemicals to try to keep things from getting worse. Additional options include using a flocculent to drop water contamination to the bottom, using enzymes weekly to destroy organic debris that can fuel algae, and weekly phosphate remover to starve algae and help drop contaminants to pool floor.

4. If you have power, check the equipment. Does the pump work? Is the plumbing and filter system ok?

5. Remove the smaller debris with you’re the method appropriate for the situation. Be careful not to clog the plumbing. Multiple filter cleanings may be required. Vacuuming to waste may be a good option, but be sure the waste line is located before the filter and be careful where the water is going.

6. Clean the filter, add the chemicals, and you are on the road to recovery and reopening the pool.

7. Where pool cage / fencing / safety barriers are missing put up orange safety fencing until it can be replaced.