Why Is My Pool Water Cloudy? Causes and Fixes

Quick answer: Cloudy pool water is most often caused by weak filtration, low chlorine, or unbalanced pH and alkalinity. Test the water, balance it, run the pump nonstop, and clean the filter.

Common causes

• Low free chlorine or high combined chlorine
• pH or alkalinity out of range
• A dirty filter, or a pump that runs too few hours
• Heavy use, rain, or pollen

What to do

• Test free chlorine, pH, alkalinity, and stabilizer
• Bring pH to about 7.2 to 7.6 and free chlorine to 1 to 3 ppm, and shock if needed
• Brush the pool, run the pump 24 hours, and clean or backwash the filter
• Retest daily until the water clears

When to call a pro

If the water is still cloudy after about three days, a pool professional can check the filter media, stabilizer level, and circulation.