Public Swimming Pools
Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act
The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act of 2007 is a mandatory Federal
Requirement that will go into effect on December 19, 2008. It will require all public
swimming pool owners and operators to install drain covers meeting the ASME/ANSI
A112.19.8-2007 Standard by December 19, 2008. This requirement must be met by all
public swimming pools, even those with 2 main drains, and applies to all drain sizes
except those too large to be blocked by a human body. Very few drain covers installed
prior to 2009 meet the new standards. The new federal law will prohibit the sale
of the older style drains after December 2008; however pool owners will still need
to verify that the drain covers installed meet the new standards. The standard should
be listed on the drain cover itself or on the packaging material.
There are no enforcement provisions in the federal law, which leaves it up to the
states to begin enforcement. The Division of Environmental Health is beginning the
process of adopting the drain safety standards into the North Carolina Rules Governing
Public Swimming Pools. It will take one to two years before enforcement of these
provisions on public swimming pools with multiple drains takes place in North Carolina.
It is unlikely any state or local enforcement will begin before the 2010 swimming
season.
However, if you have a single drain pool with a drain cover that is smaller than
12 inches in diameter, rule .2539 (b) requires that the drain cover meet the ASME/ANSI
standard including any subsequent amendments and additions. Therefore, these pools
will need to have a drain cover that meets the newest standard on December 19, 2008
if they are a year-round pool and prior to obtaining an operation permit in the
spring of 2009 if they are a seasonal pool.
Click here to view the
“Questions & Answers – Effects of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety
Act on North Carolina Public Swimming Pools in 2008”.
If you replace your drain covers with anti-entrapment drain covers that meet the
ASME/ANSI A112.19.8-2007 standard before North Carolina starts enforcing this new
federal law, we request that you send a copy of the manufacturer’s specifications,
showing that the drain covers meet the standard, and a copy of the packaging to
the Health Department. This documentation will let us know that you have installed
compliant drain covers and will save you from having to provide proof when our state
rules for enforcement are adopted in a year or two.
If you have any questions, please contact Ken Bowyer at 336-703-3155.
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