The City of Mill Valley urges residents to work with pool service providers that commit to flushing pool water into the sewer system instead of into the ground or down the storm drain.
Because many of us swim in chlorinated water at relatively high concentrations, we often don't fully understand the toxicity of chlorine on the natural habitat that surrounds us. It's quite simple, the concentration of sodium hypochlorite (chlorine) in pool water is high enough to pollute a body of water 10 to 100 times its size if sent to the storm drain.
Because every storm drain in the City of Mill Valley empties into a sensitive natural body of water, such as a creek or wetland, introducing chlorine into those creeks and wetlands kills fish and frogs and the aquatic bugs they feed on.
City officials urge residents not to hire a pool service company that is unwilling to flush pool water into the sewer system.