After a long wait, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has approved the latest version of the industry-generated drain-cover standard.
Compliance with the previous version of ANSI/APSP/ICC-16 was specified in the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act. To update the code referenced in the federal law, CPSC must approve it. While the latest version of APSP-16 published in 2017, CPSC just took a vote earlier this summer.
Among the biggest changes, manufacturers must provide more thorough labeling and information on drain covers, sumps and frames. For instance, producers must indicate the manufacturing date of the unit, its service life in years and permissible flow ratings with different sump configurations. They must provide stickers and documentation for contractors to transfer that information.
When CPSC approved the standard, it also set a deadline for manufacturer compliance. Anything produced after Nov. 24, 2020 must comply with the new version of the standard. Products made before that date are not beholden to the change and can remain on the market after the deadline.
