Why people truck in water for an in-ground pool
A garden hose is the cheapest way to fill a pool per gallon in most cities, but it is slow. A typical hose delivers somewhere around 5 to 10 gallons a minute, so a 20,000-gallon pool can take two days or more of running water. Trucked water arrives in a few large loads and is usually in the pool the same day.
- New plaster or a fresh finish. Builders and plasterers generally want a new surface filled continuously, without stopping, to avoid a visible ring at a pause line. Fast, steady water helps.
- Homes on a well. A full fill can run a well pump for a day or more and can overwork a low-yield well. See pool fills for well homes.
- Time. Pool openings, parties, and the end of a remodel all come with a date.
How a delivered fill works
- Tell us your ZIP, pool size (our gallons calculator helps), whether it is a new finish, and how far the hose has to run.
- We line up a vetted local water hauler, confirm the number of loads, the water source and the date, and send you one delivered price by text or email.
- On the day, the truck parks on the street or driveway and runs its hose to the pool. Hoses typically reach a few hundred feet; your hauler confirms the reach before booking.
- Each load usually unloads in well under an hour. Bigger pools take several loads, sometimes back to back from more than one truck.
Before the truck arrives
- Clear a path for the hose from the street to the pool and unlock the gate.
- For new plaster, follow your builder’s start-up instructions. Many ask for a soft cloth or sock over the hose end so the stream does not mark the floor.
- Have the pump and filter ready to start once the water reaches the middle of the skimmer. Our after-the-fill checklist covers the first 48 hours.
