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GREENSBORO — Swimming pool operators are racing to comply with federal rules as they prepare to open on the Memorial Day weekend.

The 2007 law, known as the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act, is designed to prevent drain entrapments of children.

The law, effective Dec. 19, requires public pools and spas to have compliant drain covers and a second anti-entrapment system installed where there is only one main drain.

Seasonal swimming pools are not to reopen to the public until they satisfy the requirements, but the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has limited resources to enforce the law.

And the law has not been adopted by the state. That means the state cannot force pools to close if they do not fulfill the requirements.

Many local swimming pools are complying even though the federal enforcement arm may not reach them.

Angelo Kontoulas, president of Carolina Pool Management-Greensboro, said his staff has been working overtime to get clients up to standard.

“This VGB Act has added pressure to get everybody compliant and to get them up and running for the season,” Kontoulas said.

The company inspected the pools at the Greensboro Elks Lodge and covered two drains with compliant safety covers.

The lodge pool manager, Sean Caviness, said the installation cost less than $1,000. Depending on the degree of retrofitting, operators can spend $500 to several thousand dollars on pool renovations.

Caviness said the act reduces safety risks for swimmers. “It’s a good law,” he said. “It’s a great safety thing for smaller children. A lot of them like to explore down at the deep end to see how far they can go.”

The act is named after the granddaughter of former Secretary of State James Baker. The 7-year-old girl drowned in 2002 after being sucked into a hot tub drain.

A state law is being drafted to include the federal regulations. The draft could be reviewed, published for the public and submitted to the state legislature by winter, said Jim Hayes. He supervises the public swimming pool program in the state division of environmental health.

Hayes said the rules probably would not be enforceable in North Carolina until the 2010 swimming season.

Local authorities have been asked to advise rather than police pool owners and operators on the safety regulations.

Floyd Thomas, an environmental health specialist with the Guilford County Health Department, said he educates owners while inspecting their pools. The health department regulates public pools.

“Our department is trying to give them as much information as we have, which is referring them to the Consumer Product Safety Commission,” Thomas said. “We are also visiting pools at their request.”

Although pool operators are taking more safety measures, Thomas advises parents to remain vigilant.

“No matter what swimming pool it is, whether it is compliant with Virginia Graeme Baker or not, the public, especially parents, needs to be aware of keeping an eye on their children.”

 

Contact Dioni L. Wise at 373-7090 or dioni.wise@news-record.com

 

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