The President of APSP (Association of Pool & Spa Professionals) has recently confirmed an important guideline regarding the Virginia Graeme Baker Bill. The correct way to measure your current drains to make sure they are in compliant is to measure from the middle of one drain cover to the middle of the next drain cover. There must be a minimum of 3 ft between each drain cover. If there is not 3 ft between each drain cover, more serious action will need to be taken to make your pool compliant. This is the offical word despite all of the other interpretations of this law.

Reminder: Even if your drain covers are 3 ft or more apart from each other, to be completely compliant with this law, you MUST change your drain covers and replace them with a compliant version. If you have not purchased new drain covers for your pool since January 2009 more than likely your drain covers are not compliant. Alot of drain covers were manufactored prior to Jan. 09, but unfortunatly with all the changes that they continue to make to this law, most of the drain covers made prior to that date are not compliant as of right now. They have added several markings that need to be on your drain cover including: life expectancy of 3, 5, or 7 years stamped clearly on the drain cover, the ASME / ANSI bill number, it must also say VGB 2008 somewhere on it, and it must be stamped with the GPM as well. If you have any questions regarding your current drain covers, please contact us.

Source: Bill Weber APSP President - Scott Rolenc owner of Aqua Palace in Council Bluffs, Iowa.