How much does it cost to fill a pool?
Filling a 15,000-gallon pool costs $120 at an example water rate of $8 per 1,000 gallons.
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On this page (6 sections)
With one garden hose running 8 gallons per minute, it takes about 31 hours. Cost = gallons ÷ 1,000 × your rate, so the only outside number you need is the rate on your water bill.
About these numbers. The $8 rate and 8 gpm hose flow are example values, not national averages. Water prices vary widely between utilities. This fill math is simple arithmetic, but like our other cost calculators, it is not yet covered by the tested reference cases behind our chemistry numbers.
Calculator: gallons, rate per 1,000 gal, sewer charge
Find your rate on the water bill. Many bills price water per 1,000 gallons. Others use CCF (hundred cubic feet). One CCF is 748 gallons, so divide a per-CCF price by 0.748 to get a price per 1,000 gallons. If your bill has tiers, the fill will push you into the higher ones, so use the top tier's rate.
| Pool size | $4 per 1,000 | $8 per 1,000 | $12 per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 gal | $4 | $8 | $12 |
| 5,000 gal | $20 | $40 | $60 |
| 10,000 gal | $40 | $80 | $120 |
| 15,000 gal | $60 | $120 | $180 |
| 20,000 gal | $80 | $160 | $240 |
| 30,000 gal | $120 | $240 | $360 |
The three rates are examples spanning a range, not quotes. Add your sewer rate if it applies.
Sewer charges. Many utilities bill sewer charges based on metered water use, so a fill can raise the sewer line of your bill too. Water that stays in a pool never reaches the sewer, and some utilities offer a credit or a separate meter for it. Policies vary, so ask your utility before you fill. Don't know your volume? The volume calculator works it out, and above-ground pool owners can check the above-ground gallons chart.
Truck delivery: how to compare quotes
Water haulers usually price by the load, and truck sizes vary by company. For example, one Maine hauler lists 8,000-gallon trailers and a local minimum charge. To compare a truck with your tap:
- Ask each hauler for the gallons per load and the price per load, including delivery distance.
- Count loads: a 20,000-gallon pool needs 3 loads of 8,000 gallons or 4 loads of 6,000 gallons (you pay for the last full load).
- Convert to a price per 1,000 gallons: total quote ÷ gallons delivered × 1,000. Compare it with your tap rate plus sewer.
- Ask where the water comes from and whether it is treated. Either way, test it after filling.
A truck mainly saves time: hours instead of days, and no strain on a low-pressure well.
Fill time with a hose
Measure your hose instead of guessing: time how long it takes to fill a 5-gallon bucket. Flow in gpm = 5 ÷ seconds × 60. A 5-gallon bucket filling in 37.5 seconds means 8 gpm.
| Pool size | 5 gpm | 8 gpm | 10 gpm |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 gal | 3.3 h | 2.1 h | 1.7 h |
| 5,000 gal | 16.7 h | 10.4 h | 8.3 h |
| 10,000 gal | 33.3 h | 20.8 h | 16.7 h |
| 15,000 gal | 50 h | 31.3 h | 25 h |
| 20,000 gal | 66.7 h | 41.7 h | 33.3 h |
| 30,000 gal | 100 h | 62.5 h | 50 h |
Two hoses on separate spigots roughly halve the time if your water pressure holds. If you note the start time, the end time, and the hose flow, you have also measured your pool's real volume.
Chemicals after filling
Fresh water still needs treatment. Test it before anyone swims: tap and well water arrive with their own pH, alkalinity, calcium, and sometimes metals. Hard fill water starts you high on calcium. The guide to lowering calcium hardness shows how fill water limits your options. Then add stabilizer if the pool is outdoors, bring chlorine up, and balance pH and alkalinity. The pool opening checklist walks through the order.
FAQ
How much does it cost to fill an above ground pool?
Gallons ÷ 1,000 × your water rate. A 5,000-gallon above-ground pool costs $40 at an example rate of $8 per 1,000 gallons, and a 15,000-gallon one costs $120, plus sewer if your utility charges it on the fill.
How long does it take to fill a pool with a hose?
Gallons ÷ hose gpm ÷ 60. At 8 gpm, 10,000 gallons takes about 21 hours and 15,000 gallons about 31 hours. Time a 5-gallon bucket to find your own flow.
How many gallons in a pool water truck?
It depends on the hauler. Trucks and trailers of several thousand gallons are common. One hauler we checked uses 8,000-gallon trailers. Ask for the gallons per load in writing and compare the price per 1,000 gallons.
Sources
- M.A. Haskell & Sons Trucking, Water hauling (8,000-gallon trailers): haskelltrucking.com
- Unit conversion: 1 cubic foot = 7.48 US gallons, so 1 CCF = 748 gallons (same constant our volume calculators use): methodology