Drowning risk prompts biggest ever recall of backyard pool drain covers

Brian Hartman - 

In its largest ever pool drain cover recall, the government's lead consumer watchdog has recalled almost 1 million pool and hot tub drain covers because of a drowning risk.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission said that pool owners should stop using dozens of different models made by eight different companies "immediately" because improper safety ratings mean the products "could pose a possible entrapment hazard to swimmers and bathers."

The recall comes nine months after ABC News revealed that millions of backyard pool drain covers may have been improperly tested for safety and might pose entrapment risks.

"I want to make it clear that this recall announcement does not mean that one million drain covers will need to be replaced or repaired," said CPSC chair Inez Tenenbaum, who announced the massive recall Thursday during a pool safety event near San Diego, "[but] pool operators and homeowners should contact the maker of their drain covers to see what action, if any, is needed to make their individual pool or spa safe."

The models subject to recall were manufactured by A & A, Aquastar, Color Match, Custom Molded Products, Hayward Pool Products, Pentair Water Pool & Spa, Rising Dragon and Waterway, and were marked with the improper water flow rating. In a statement, the CPSC said the recall was undertaken with the cooperation of the manufacturers, and that "pool owners/operators and consumers who have one of the recalled pool or spa drain covers should immediately contact the manufacturer to receive a replacement or retrofit, depending on their make and model. "

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