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Sonco Pools & Spas installs what is known as a dewatering port with its fiberglass swimming pools. While this isn’t something homeowners will normally need to pay much attention to during routine pool maintenance, it provides important access to the ground beneath the swimming pool when needed.
In this training video, we explain what the dewatering port does, why groundwater matters, and why a fiberglass swimming pool should never be drained by the homeowner.
The dewatering port has an access lid similar to a skimmer lid. Beneath that access point is a pipe extending into the ground underneath the swimming pool.
The port provides a way to determine whether groundwater is present beneath the pool and, when necessary, provides access for removing that water.
Groundwater beneath a fiberglass swimming pool is common and isn’t automatically a problem. The important consideration is maintaining the proper relationship between the groundwater and the water inside the swimming pool.
A fiberglass swimming pool should normally remain completely full of water. It should not be drained down for winter, and homeowners should not drain it themselves for maintenance or a water change.
The water inside the swimming pool helps keep the pool in the ground. As explained in the video, you can think about the principle much like a boat floating on a lake—we don’t want the swimming pool to develop lift.
If a fiberglass pool needs to be drained, the work should be handled by a pool professional who understands fiberglass pool construction.
If the swimming pool needs to be professionally drained, a submersible pump can be lowered through the dewatering port to remove groundwater from beneath the pool.
This helps prevent groundwater from creating unwanted lift while the water inside the swimming pool is being removed.
The primary situation discussed in the training video is extreme rain or flooding conditions.
During periods of consistent heavy rain—such as wet spring conditions in Illinois—homeowners in high-water areas may want to check the dewatering port, particularly if conditions indicate a lot of groundwater, such as a sump pump running continuously.
If the port is full of water, a homeowner can use a pump purchased from a home improvement store to remove that groundwater.
During normal pool maintenance, however, the dewatering port generally doesn’t require regular attention.
The dewatering port should remain properly secured. The access cover should have screws in place so children cannot open or play with it.
The port is there to be used when needed—not as part of everyday swimming pool maintenance.
For questions about your fiberglass swimming pool, groundwater, or proper pool care, contact Sonco Pools & Spas at 815-654-7665.
A dewatering port is an access point that connects to a pipe extending into the ground beneath a fiberglass swimming pool. It allows groundwater conditions beneath the pool to be checked and provides access for removing groundwater when necessary.
Groundwater is common around fiberglass swimming pools and isn’t automatically a problem. The water inside the swimming pool helps keep the pool in the ground and prevents unwanted lift.
No. A homeowner should not drain a fiberglass swimming pool for maintenance, a water change, or winterization. If the pool needs to be drained, Sonco recommends relying on a pool professional who understands fiberglass swimming pool construction.
The video recommends checking the port during extreme rain, flooding, or consistent heavy rainfall, particularly in a high-water area where conditions such as a continuously running sump pump indicate significant groundwater.
If a fiberglass swimming pool needs to be drained, groundwater can be pumped from beneath it through the dewatering port. This helps prevent groundwater from creating lift underneath the pool as the water inside the pool is removed.