Consumer Product Safety Commission recalls spa, swimming pool drains
Editor's note: Columnist Barbara Holland takes a break from her usual question-and-answer format to talk about a recent Consumer Product Safety Commission recall on pool drains.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled the drain covers on many, if not most of our swimming pools and spas.
In 2009 after the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act went into affect, hundreds of local homeowner associations' pools and spas had to shut down for a short time that winter because they did not meet the new drain cover requirements.
That winter, the Southern Nevada Health District crafted a system to accommodate the backlog of pool inspections and distribute information about the new law.
The law was named after former Secretary of State James Baker's 7-year-old granddaughter who died after being pinned down at the bottom of a hot tub that had a suction drain.
The law caused a lot of confusion at the time, leaving HOAs confused about what they should do to remedy the situation.
Two years later, still no one has any answers.
No one knows if, or to what degree, manufacturers will be held financially responsible. Many communities will have to pay a great deal of money to retrofit or replacements their pools or spas.
No one knows who will assist property owners in resolving the recall issues.
This recall could affect a significant number of pools and spas in our county.
As soon as I receive more information as to how the product recall will be administered, and whether home owners and HOA boards will be compensated, I'll will write about it in my weekly column..
Just one side comment: The Virginia Graeme was on the books for a period of time prior to the federal government's announcement that it would be enforced with first-time penalties of a million dollars or more.
The CPSC was responsible for producing the acceptable procedures and for approving these particular drain covers that are currently being recalled.
When we were supposed to be in compliance, many of these drain covers were not even produced by manufactures, and obviously could not be approved by the CPSC in a third-party testing procedure.
You have to wonder why the CPSC did not do its homework in a timely fashion. So many decisions were rushed because of the enforcement date, December, 2008.
The CPSC was still making decisions on the issue even after the enforcement date, when many of the larger drains covers were still in the factories being produced. So much for government efficiency.
Check your pool covers to see if you are in compliance.
Here is a list of companies that are on the CPSC's drain recall: A&A, aamfg.com; AquaStar, aquastarpoolproducts.co; Color Match Pool Fittings, poolfittings.com; Custom Molded Products, c-m-p.com; Hayward Pool Products, haywardnet.com; Pentair Water Pool and Spa, pentairpool.com; Rising Dragon USA, risingdragonplastics.com; Waterway Plastics, waterwayplastics.com.
Homeowners and HOA boards can all the Drain Cover Recall Hotline at 866-478-3521 for more information.
Barbara Holland, certified property manager, is president and owner of H&L Realty and Management Co. To ask her a question, email support@hlrealty.com.
