By now, you probably have heard that the new Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act (VGBA) requires that ALL public pool operators and owners install a safety drain cover that meets ANSI/ASME A112.19.8.2007 standards. The deadline is currently December 19, 2008. As this time, there is little evidence that there will be anywhere close to complete compliance with this law.

As this deadline approaches, one of the swimming pool industry associations...the National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF), various manufacturers, and the Florida Department of Health (DOH), among others, are all working diligently to help clear up misinformation, put together products that comply (or will even work), and even lobby to postpone this deadline to allow time to get the conversions done in an organized fashion.

What is the issue? The Graeme Baker Act is all about preventing entrapment hazards at the main drain cover. Many pools and spas across the US have their pool main drain direct-connected to the pool pump. Over the years there have been several high-profile and well documented accidents where patrons were severely hurt or killed via some form of entrapment or disembowelment.

What are the approved remedies? Besides the installation of the ASME/ANSI approved drain cover, which is mandated for all pools and spas, there must be one addition remedy installed on each pool and spa. The list of acceptable remedies include:

1. •Safefy Vacuum Release System (SVRS): A device which shuts down the pump, reverses the flow, or otherwise provides a vacuum release when a blockage is detected. CES has offered and installed these system for years, although there have been very few takers before the VGBA. The most well known of these are the Stingl Switch which monitors the suction pressure at the pump and will electrically disable the pool pump if a certain vacuum threshold has been reached.
   

2. •Suction limiting vent system: Otherwise known as an atmospheric vent. It is a pipe “teed” to the suction side of the circulation pump (on the Main Drain line), where the other end of the pipe is taken above the water level of the pool and the top is open to the atmosphere. If a blockage were to occur on a pool with this type of system, standing water (up to the level of the pool water) would be drawn from the vent pipe, and once the small amount of water was exhausted (in a few seconds), the pump would draw air and lose prime. NOTE: vent systems may qualify for GBA issues, but the DOH does not recognize them as an acceptable alternative to surge tanks.
   

3. •Gravity Drainage Systems: This is the Consumer Public Safety Council (CPSC) definition of the Florida gravity flow / surge tank system. So over 80% of all Florida pools already comply with this. According to the “soon to be released” new DOH code, the remaining Florida Pools and Spas that do not currently have a surge tank will need to renovate the pools and add a surge tank within the next four years.
   

4. •Automatic Pump Shut Off: Defined as a device that could sense drain blockage and shut the pump down. One pump manufacturer has developed a circuit board installed on the pump, which monitors the current used by the motor. Once a large deviation was detected, the pump motor would be shut down automatically.
   

5. •Drain disablement: A device or system that disables the drain. Although the CPSC does not know of any products that would fit this category, they mentioned that filling the main drain with concrete would be a viable solution for their purpose. That, however, would be a violation of Florida DOH code, and cause for immediate (and permanent?) closure.
   

6. •Other systems: A catch-all category for future products. For example, the CES BECSys5 controller, when equipped with a vacuum sensor and wired to control the pool pump (as done in many installations) has the same functionality as the SVRS or Stingle Switch.
   

Is your pool affected? According to the law, all pools are affected. There are severe penalties for non-compliance, but more importantly if there was an accident in your pool...and it was not in compliance...you could face very severe consequences, a federal fine and/or a legal issue.

Conflict with Florida DOH code? For many years the Florida Department of Health has been among the most PROACTIVE agencies in the US in terms of prevention of suction entrapment. As a result, a large percentage of all Florida pools were built with surge tanks. With this design, water from the main drain (and gutters) will “gravity flow” into an intermediary tank. The pool pump then draws the water from this tank with a separate pipe. This prevents direct suction, and would appear to make these Florida pools be excluded from the ASME/ANSI standards that govern the Graeme Baker Act. However, according to the CPSC, which is the responsible Federal Agency, ALL pools must still be converted to new main drain grates and covers....including all Florida gravity flow / surge tank pools.

More Conflict with Florida DOH code? These gravity flow / surge tank systems were specifically engineered with proper flow in order to work correctly. One of the main components of this engineering is maintaining proper “open area” in the main drain cover so that the velocity of the water through the drain is reduced. At the present time, there are no accepted main drain covers on the market (to our knowledge) that comply with both the ASME/ANSI and are acceptable to the Florida DOH.

What can you do? While CES does not profess to have all the answers, we will try to assist you with your compliance with the VGBA. If you have a surge tank already, (as over 80% of you do)...we would recommend that you stay tuned for the release of an APPROVED drain cover that complies with BOTH VGBA AND the FLORIDA DOH.

If you are one of the few that has a direct suction system, the Florida DOH will eventually mandate that you convert over to a surge tank anyway...but in the meantime, you could install a Stingl Switch or a BECSys5 with a vacuum sensor / pump control wiring option. You will need to stay tuned to the release of an acceptable drain cover as well.

We will be forwarding important information regarding the Virginia Graeme Baker Act, via email and this newsletter, as it becomes available.

Please contact your CES representative with any questions or comments.