KENTUCKY — The state's Metropolitan Sewer District offered tips on how to drain pools the environmentally safe way as summer nears the end. 

“Water containing chlorine can kill fish and other aquatic life in creeks and streams,” said MSD Development and Stormwater Services Director Tony Marconi in a statement.

MSD said the average pool has a chlorine concentration that is 10-times higher than some aquatic life can withstand. 

Improper draining can also create basement flooding, a backup or flooding of yards. MSD recommends homeowners slowly drain the chlorine-free water to a grassy area of their yard if it's large enough to absorb. They can also drain it into a sanitary sewer cleanout, if one is available on the property.

Other tips:

• Do not drain the pool during or up to 48 hours after a rain event
• Dechlorinate the swimming pool water before draining it — the pool should sit at least 10 days after chemical treatment before draining
• Test the pool water to ensure that it is essentially chlorine-free before draining (about 0.1 parts per million total chlorine)
• Bubbling, cascading or other forms of aeration will help to remove chlorine from water
• The pool’s pH should be in a normal range of six to eight before draining
• Discharge water slowly, at only 30 gallons per minute, to prevent soil erosion, flooding or damage to adjacent properties, including backups into homes and businesses