Pools & others
Pool Water Evaporation in Dubai Summers
By the Dubai Water Tankers team · Published · Updated
How much water does a pool lose to evaporation in Dubai?
A lot, especially in summer. Researchers from Loughborough University estimated that Palm Jumeirah's 1,859 private pools lose about 600 million litres a year to evaporation, roughly what 3,000 people use. Your own pool's loss depends on sun, wind and use; a bucket test tells you how much is evaporation and how much might be a leak.
- Palm Jumeirah pools: ~600 million L a year lost (study)
- Pool covers can cut evaporation by up to ~95% (study)
- Bucket test separates evaporation from leaks
- Top-ups from 200 gallons keep levels at the skimmer
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Get Price on WhatsAppWhat the research found
Alicia Cumberland and Rob Wilby of Loughborough University studied pool water loss in the UAE, as reported by the Royal Geographical Society. On Palm Jumeirah they counted 1,859 swimming pools and estimated:
- about 600 million litres evaporate from them each year;
- that’s roughly the yearly water use of about 3,000 people;
- desalinating the replacement water uses about 1.2 million kg of CO₂ a year;
- pool covers could reduce evaporation by as much as 95%.
Scaled across the whole country, they suggest losses could run to billions of litres a year.
Why Dubai pools lose so much
Evaporation rises with:
- Heat: both air and water temperature, highest from June to September.
- Sun: unshaded pools lose more.
- Wind: breezes carry moist air away from the surface.
- Low humidity: dry air pulls more water out.
- Water features and use: waterfalls, jets and splashing increase the surface area.
Evaporation or a leak? The bucket test
- Fill a bucket with pool water and place it on a pool step so the water inside is at the same level as the pool.
- Mark the water level inside the bucket and on the pool wall (or the skimmer).
- Run the pool as normal for 24 hours, without topping up.
- Compare the two drops.
If the pool drops about the same as the bucket, it’s evaporation. If the pool drops noticeably more, you may have a leak. Call your pool company.
How to cut the loss
- Use a pool cover when the pool isn’t in use. This is the biggest single saving according to the research.
- Turn off water features when nobody is watching them.
- Shade part of the pool if your design allows.
- Keep the level correct. Overfilling wastes water through the overflow.
Topping up
Most villa pools are topped up from the house supply. In summer, that can drain your underground tank faster than the mains refills it, especially if you also irrigate. Options:
- Small tanker top-ups straight into the pool, from 200 gallons. See small water tanker.
- Scheduled weekly top-ups through the hot months.
- Full refills after draining for maintenance: see how many tankers to fill a pool.
Always use sweet water. Your pool company handles balancing after a large top-up.
What it means for your household water
If your villa’s water use seems high in summer, the pool and garden are usually why. See how much water a Dubai household uses to check your own numbers, and order through swimming pool water filling.