15 U.S.C. § 8003 — Federal swimming pool and spa drain cover standard

This section creates a federal safety rule for the drain covers on swimming pools and spas, to stop people from getting trapped by suction. (a) Consumer product safety rule. The drain-cover requirements below count as an official safety rule under the Consumer Product Safety Act. (b) Drain cover standard. Starting one year after December 19, 2007, every swimming pool or spa drain cover made, sold, or shipped in the United States must meet the ASME/ANSI A112.19.8 engineering standard (or any standard that replaces it) for keeping people from getting caught in the drain's suction. If engineers propose an updated version of that standard, they must tell the Consumer Product Safety Commission (the Commission). If the Commission decides the update is good for the public, it adopts the update after giving the public 30 days' notice. (c) Public pools. (1) Required equipment. Starting one year after December 19, 2007: every public pool and spa must have anti-entrapment devices meeting the ASME/ANSI A112.19.8 standard (i). And every public pool or spa with just one main drain — unless that drain can't be blocked — must also have at least one of these extra safety systems (ii): a safety vacuum release system, which shuts off or reverses the pump, or releases suction, when it senses a blockage, and which has been independently tested to meet ASME/ANSI A112.19.17 or ASTM F2387 (I); a suction-limiting vent system with an opening people can't tamper with (II); a gravity drainage system that uses a holding tank instead of direct suction (III); a system that automatically shuts off the pump (IV); a device that disables the drain entirely (V); or any other system the Commission finds is just as good at preventing injury or death from pool drains (VI). Any of these systems must also meet whatever official engineering standard applies to that type of device (B). (2) "Public pool and spa" means a pool or spa that's open to the public, for a fee or free (A); open to a private group like club members, apartment residents, or hotel guests (B); or run by the federal government for service members, employees, and their families (C). (3) Enforcement. Breaking the rule in paragraph (1) counts as violating the Consumer Product Safety Act, and can be enforced under that Act's sections on penalties and injunctions.