Some Pools Present Drowning Risk, Government Warns

Could you or your child be at risk of drowning from being caught in the strong suction force of a drain cover at a local pool or in a spa's hot tub?

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan warned of the danger recently, saying some pool drain covers could entrap swimmers.

The news comes as the Niles Park District is set to open the Oasis Water Park and the Park Ridge Park District is set to open the Centennial and South Park pools on Saturday.

The situation is confusing, because many of the faulty pool drain covers are replacements for those deemed to be dangerous a few years ago.

After 7-year-old Virginia Graeme Baker became trapped underwater by the strong suction of a hot tub drain and drowned in 2002, the federal Virginia Graeme Baker Act was passed in 2007. 

The law requires pool operators, such as park districts, to install types of pool drain covers that prevent people from drowning if they become entrapped. The new covers came on the market around 2008.

This week, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a recall for 1 million of the 2008 and later pool and spa drain covers, saying they were faulty and dangerous in representing a similar drowning risk as the earlier models.

View photos and descriptions of the faulty pool drain covers here.

The CPSC has urged public pool operators to keep their facilities closed until inspections can determine whether the type of drain covers in use are on the recall list, according to Madigan's office.

Madigan advised concerned parents to ask pool operators:

•  Does the pool comply with the Virginia Graeme Baker Act?
•  Is the pool equipped with one of the recalled drain covers?

Patch contacted local pool operators  on Friday. Here are their responses:

Morton Grove Park District: "Our pools have gravity drainage systems so it does not affect any of our park district pools. If you would like to get more details, you can contact our Parks Manager Greg Jayne directly if you need a more detailed explanation. He can be reached at 847-965-0065," said Sue Braubach, marketing and public information manager.

Niles Park District: "Oasis Pool drains meet the new standards and are not on the recall list," said Joe LoVerde, executive director.

Park Ridge Park District: "We have none of the replacement drains in our pools. We've worked with an engineering company on this ever since the Virginia Graeme Baker Act passed in 2007," said the department's spokeswoman, Kathie Hahn.

Centennial Pool and South Park Pool opened this weekend, and Hinkley Pool opens June 4.

Leaning Tower YMCA: "Both of the Leaning Tower's YMCA pools are in full compliance with the Virginia Graeme Baker Act," said Amanda Yeast, the facility's operations director.

Niles Family Fitness Center: Its director, Carl Maniscalco, said: "The Niles Family Fitness Center’s drain covers have not been replaced. The Illinois Department of Public Health has issued a replacement permit and these drain covers will be replaced this summer. The proposed replacement covers are not on the recall lists."