Chicago Tribune Full Story
Chicago Tribune Friday, February 13, 2009
Operating pool and staying afloat
By Pamela Dittmer Mckuen
February 13, 2009
Community associations throughout the Chicago area are worried that their snow removal budgets won’t last until spring. Soon they’ll worry about having enough money to run their outdoor swimming pools. Click here to read full story....
The cost of operating a pool will be more expensive this year. One reason is that a new federal law requires pricey retrofits. Two more reasons are a longer swim season and a hike in the minimum wage.
“With the snow and cold weather, associations are not thinking about their pools,” said Adam Norman, vice president of Aqua-Guard Management in Palatine and Naperville. “But if they don’t start planning soon, they might not be able to open for 2009, and that will be disheartening.”
The new law, the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act, is designed to prevent death and severe injury from the suction of underwater drains. It is named for the 7-year-old granddaughter of former Secretary of State James Baker III, who drowned while she was trapped by a powerful hot tub drain in 2002.
The law, which went into effect Dec. 20, 2008, applies to all public pools and spas in the country. Community association pools fall into that category.
Pools and spas must be equipped with anti-entrapment drain covers, which are domed rather than flush. The covers have smaller openings to slow water flow and lessen the chances of snaring hair and fingers. In addition, pools and spas with a single main drain, other than an unblockable drain, must have a secondary safety device such as a suction release system. These devices detect pressure changes at the drain and turn off the pump.
The cost of complying with the new law depends on the pool’s architecture and the equipment selected, said Norman. According to his estimates, approved drain covers run a few hundred dollars, and release systems start at about $1,000 for basic models and $2,500 for electronic ones.
Unless the water is crystal clear, drain covers are changed while the pool is empty. The task is usually performed at the same time the pool is drained and cleaned before the season opening.
