Trucked water vs a garden hose

The short version

	Garden hose	Tanker delivery
Time for 20,000 gal	About 1.5 to 3 days	A few loads, usually the same day
Cost on city water	Usually lower per gallon	Higher; priced per load
On a private well	Long pump run; can strain a low-yield well	Well untouched
New plaster	Slow; any pause risks a ring line	Fast, steady fill
Effort	Watching a hose for two days	Open the gate

Time

A garden hose delivers something like 5 to 10 gallons a minute, depending on the hose and your water pressure. You can measure yours: time how long it takes to fill a 5-gallon bucket.

• At 5 gal/min, 20,000 gallons takes about 67 hours
• At 8 gal/min, about 42 hours
• At 10 gal/min, about 33 hours

A tanker typically carries 6,000 to 8,000 gallons and unloads it much faster than a hose. A pool that needs three or four loads is usually done in a day, depending on how far the truck goes to refill.

Your water bill

This is where the hose usually wins. Look up your utility’s rate per 1,000 gallons, then multiply by your pool’s volume in thousands. Two things to check before you decide:

• Sewer charges. Many utilities bill sewer based on water use. Some will credit sewer charges for a pool fill if you call before filling.
• Tiered rates and restrictions. A big fill can push you into a higher price tier, and during drought some areas restrict filling pools from the tap.

If the hose works out much cheaper and you have the time, use the hose. We would rather you did.

Your well

On a private well, the comparison changes. A household well and pump are sized for daily use. Filling a pool means running the pump for a day or more, which can overheat or wear it, draw down a low-yield well, and pull sediment or iron into the new pool. That is the main reason well owners truck in water. More in pool fills for well homes.

New plaster and fresh finishes

Pool professionals generally recommend filling a new plaster finish continuously, without stopping, until it is full. A hose that runs for two days leaves plenty of room for interruptions. Follow your plasterer’s start-up instructions either way. See refills after a replaster.

When a truck is not worth it

• Small top-offs of a few inches on city water
• A single hot tub on city water with an outdoor tap nearby
• No rush, no well, and a low water rate