You need a pool cover pump to keep rainwater off the cover.

To pump rainwater and debris off your pool cover so it doesn’t sag, tear, or turn into a mosquito breeding ground.

Pool covers aren’t designed to hold standing water. Even a heavy-duty cover will sag under a few inches of rain, and that water weight can rip the straps, pull the anchors, or dump everything into the pool when you uncover it. Also, still water on top gets gross fast — algae, leaves, bugs, and the smell.

A small submersible pump sits on the cover, kicks on automatically (or you plug it in), and sends the water somewhere else — usually a drain or the yard. Most models are cheap, easy to set up, and just run until the cover is dry enough to brush off.

It’s a cheap way to extend the life of your cover and keep spring opening from being a nightmare.