10News Investigates Dangerous Pool Drains

SAN DIEGO -- It's a sweltering July afternoon in El Cajon, with temperatures reaching 100 degrees, the kind of day that across San Diego County children are jumping into pool to cool off.

But there are no kids diving into one pool in an El Cajon backyard, and for good reason.

"This pool has a missing drain cover," said Rick English, a pool safety inspector, as he peers into the deep end.

The drain cover might seem like a inconsequential piece of plastic, but it can make the difference between life, injury and death.

English has the pictures to prove it.

One picture showed dark red welts across the chest of a five year old boy who laid down on a drain then became stuck in the force of the suction to the pump.

That boy lived, but Abigail Taylor did not.

"She made it clear, within 48 hours of the original accident, that she wanted to make sure this doesn't happen to any other child," said Scott Taylor, her father.

Six-year-old Abigail endured 16 surgeries and 3 organ transplants after a drain in the childrens' pool at the Minneapolis Golf Club disemboweled her. She died earlier this year.

English explained, "If they're sitting on the drain, literally their entails can be pulled out of their body, and that usually is fatal."

According to SafeKids USA, 33 children died from being trapped in the suction of drains between 1985 and 2004, and 100 more kids were injured.

Four years ago, the death of Virginia Graeme Baker brought the issue to the federal spotlight.

She was the granddaughter of former Secretary of State James Baker, and her drowning death after being held at the bottom of a backyard hot tub led to new federal standards.

"The federal government enacted a new law, the Virginia Gramae Act, requires that the main drain covers meet a certain code," said Julayne Gath of the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health.

The new codes kick in December 19th of this year. All drain covers in public pools must be stamped that they comply with the codes.

English said, "Just remember it complies, with the A.N.S.I standard," points out Rick English.

Consumers can read the codes directly on the top of the drain covers.

The County Department of Environmental Health inspects public pools, meaning those in apartments or hotels.

Gath said, "over the last several years, we've done 10,000 pool inspections a year."

The 10News I-Team, through a public records request, learned that in the last year and a half the county closed 527 local pools for various safety violations, 58 of which involved violations relating to the main pool drain and vacuum system.

Among the pools closed for potential entrapment danger:

The Days Inn on Holister Avenue in San Diego

Loma Palisades apartments in Point Loma

Talmage Palm Apartments in Talmage

Aqua Day Spa on Convoy Street.

But what about backyard pools? English said at least 100,000 pools may pose a drain risk, especially those built before 1990.

The new federal law does not require that pool owners buy the new drain covers.

Most newer private pools, and all public pools, use a two-drain system. That system spreads the suction power and reduces the likelihood that a child will become stuck or entrapped on a drain.

But English said there are new drains on the market that are long enough to act as two drains.

At the very least, he recommended people who have single drain pools at least consider upgrading the drain cover to one that falls under the new federal standards.

At the unsafe pool in El Cajon, Phil Grier was hired to make the pool drain safe.

He is an underwater repair specialist and was brought in by Javier Payan, who owns a pool service, after Payan noticed the old original pool cover was lifting.

Grier removed the old drain, replaced it, then he repaired the plaster all while underwater. He made the repairs without draining the pool, saving water.

"It's definitely a safer environment, and that's what we're trying to do -- create a safer environment," he explained.

The cost for the retrofit is at one El Cajon pool is about $300, including parts and labor.

Some of the new federally approved drain covers start at $30 to $40.

After December 19th, all public pools including hotels, apartments, and condos, must have the new drain covers in place.