July 3, 2018 – With the summer now upon us, we unfortunately hear about many parts of the country experiencing drought and dry conditions that sometimes result in water restrictions. Just yesterday, in our area the weather reporter showed a map of Western Washington and the fact that conditions were drier than normal for this time of year.

Here’s some good news for Hot Spring Spa owners: When you need to drain your hot tub and fill it with a fresh batch of water, you can utilize the water you drain for your plants and lawn. With a few simple steps taken prior to draining the tub, it will absolutely be safe to do so.

Hot Spring Spas normally have an ozone system installed to help make water care easier and allow you to use less sanitizer and still keep the water clean and safe. Simply follow these steps to re-use the water you drain:

• Prior to draining your tub, remove the cover, add a couple ounces of Spa Shock and run the jets 30-40 minutes. The addition of shock should help oxidize any residual chlorine and it will evaporate.
• Test the water to be sure you are getting a zero chlorine reading. If it’s not quite at zero, you can add a small amount of hydrogen peroxide to the water to eliminate any remaining chlorine.
• Test the water and neutralize the pH level. Getting the pH neutral prevents the water from being acidic or alkaline. Both might cause adverse reactions to plants or grass.
• If you have a rain barrel or two, use a sump pump with a garden hose attached and drain your hot tub water into the barrel. You can then have this water on hand for future use when your lawn and plants get thirsty.

If you have a Hot Spring Spa with an ACE Salt Water System, the same instructions will work for you to prepare your water for re-use. Because the ACE Salt Water System only requires less salt than we have in human tears, it will not be harmful to plants or grass.

There you have it! When the summer months cause things to dry up in your yard, this will give you an option to re-use your hot tub water and help keep your water bill lower. And, you’ll stay in compliance with any water restrictions that may temporarily be necessary during those drought conditions!