How can I reuse or recycle hot tub water?

We’ve had an email from Linda:

i want to use the water from my hot tub on the garden, it is a great waste to just put it down the drain. the water has chlorine in it.

if i drain the water into water butts, is there any way i can remove the chlorine from it to make it safe to water my garden?

This isn’t something I know a lot about – I know people use filters to remove the chlorine from tap water but that’s in a lot lower and smaller quantities than a hot tub.

So anyone with more watery experience got any ideas?

(Photo by allygirl520)

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7 Responses to “How can I reuse or recycle hot tub water?”


  1. Bobbie says:

    The chlorine dissipates quickly if the water is left uncovered as chlorine is a gas.

  2. It might be worth looking for a non-chlorine treatment alternative.

    http://www.natural4spas.com/ for eg. I don’t vouch for this at all; just found it by googling the term ‘alternate hot tub treatments’.

  3. D' Rich says:

    We use organic water cleaners that aren’t harmful to people or your gardens in our hot tub. We clean our hot tub 4-6 times a year and drain it straight into our garden moving the hose around to get better coverage. We go to a spa store and they usually have that option availalbe. It will require a little more staying on top of keeping your hot tub cleaner and may cost a bit more but in the end; no allergies, no wierd smells, your swimsuits (if you wear them at all) do not get discoloured.

    We have saved the environment from harsh chemicals, we have watered our gardens with second hand water and enjoyed many hours in the hot tub with out those awful chemical smells and allergies.

  4. mommacat says:

    Please check into alternatives for chlorine as it is really nasty stuff! Tropical fish/aquarium stores sell “DeChlor”. It instantly removes chlorine from water and a small bottle works on a LARGE quantity of water.

  5. adriana says:

    i drain it into my pool.

  6. L H says:

    Yes, if course you can use the water from your hot tub for your garden and it would be a great waste not to. Chlorine dissipates after a few days so stop adding it to the water for 2 days and then check for a zero reading. By then the water will be cool too. Aim for neutral Ph if you can. Its just like using tap water which has some chlorine it in but doesn’t damage your plants and also if you fill a new pond with tap water, you are advised to leave it for 2 days before adding fish – to get rid of the chlorine – so its the same principle for your hot tub.

  7. Don says:

    I put it in the yard and garden all the time. My tap water is nearly the same as the hot tub on a test strip. The earth needs it more than the sewer.



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