1. (a) Suction outlets for post-10/01/99 and pre-10/01/99 pools and spas. Any suction outlet system for a post-10/01/99 or pre-10/01/99 pool or spa circulation or filtration system, booster system, automatic cleaning system, solar system, water feature, etc., must be designed to protect against a suction entrapment, evisceration or hair entrapment/entanglement hazard and must comply with this section. Drain covers and grates do not need to be flush with the floor. For the purpose of this section, skimmers are not considered to be suction outlets.
2. (b) Closure of post-10/01/99 and pre-10/01/99 pools and spas if the suction outlet is defective. If the owner or operator of a post-10/01/99 or pre-10/01/99 pool or spa knows or should have known in the exercise of ordinary care that a cover or grate of a suction outlet (including a vacuum outlet) is missing, broken, or loose, the pool or spa must be closed immediately and the pump(s) must be shut off. The pool or spa must remain closed until a proper repair or replacement has been accomplished. The pool or spa shall not be opened unless all covers or grates are securely installed according to subsection (c)(5) of this section and subsection (g) of this section. Suction outlets must have cover(s) complying with subsection (c)(1) of this section or grate(s) complying with subsection (c)(2) of this section, as well as covers for vacuum outlets complying with subsection (g) of this section.

3. (c) Approved suction outlet covers and grates in post-10/01/99 and pre-10/01/99 pools and spas. In post-10/01/99 and pre-10/01/99 pools and spas, a suction outlet must be provided with an approved cover or approved grate, as described below.

   1. (1) An approved cover is a suction outlet drain cover that:

      1. (A) is stamped showing that it has been certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory as being in compliance with ASME/ANSI A112.19.8M;
      2. (B) is stamped showing the gallons per minute approved by the testing laboratory for the cover and the designation ASME/ANSI A112.19.8M;
      3. (C) does not have water flow through the cover that exceeds the maximum gallons per minute approved for the drain cover under ASME/ANSI A112.19.8M testing; and
      4. (D) complies with paragraph (5) of this subsection.

   2. (2) An approved grate is a suction outlet grate that:

      1. (A) has a minimum diagonal measurement of 24 inches;
      2. (B) has a flow velocity through the open area that does not exceed 1.5 feet per second; and
      3. (C) complies with paragraph (5) of this subsection.
   3. (3) In a post-10/01/99 pool that has hydraulically balanced main drains and meet all of the other requirements of this subsection, grates that are 12 inches by 12 inches or greater may be used if no approved cover is manufactured in that size, as long as the velocity through the open area of the grate does not exceed 1.5 feet per second.
   4. (4) If a pre-10/01/99 pool has a drain cover or grate with a minimum diagonal measurement less than 24 inches and no approved cover is manufactured and available, a cover or grate that is not approved may be used as long as the velocity through the open area of the cover or grate does not exceed 1.5 feet per second.
   5. (5) The installation of all approved covers or grates must be according to manufacturer's instructions. If the manufacturer specifies fasteners, they must be stainless steel or brass.

4. (d) Suction outlets in post-10/01/99 pools and spas. All post-10/01/99 pools and spas built after September 1, 2004, must comply with the following.

   1. (1) In post-10/01/99 pools and spas, at least two hydraulically balanced suction outlets (suction fittings) with approved covers or approved grates per pump suction line, must be provided for each suction line. Multiple sets of pump suctions are permitted in two or more suction outlets as long as they are hydraulically balanced and meet the requirements of subsection (c) of this section. The distance between the drain covers or grates of the suction outlet fittings must be no less than 3 feet and no more than 20 feet apart. Suction outlets that are main drains shall be located at the lowest point of the pool or spa floor. No means of isolating hydraulically balanced suction outlets is permitted that could allow one suction outlet to serve as the sole source of water to a pump. A single pipe to a pump suction inlet that serves two or more suction outlets may have a valve to shut off the flow to the pump.

   2. (2) In post-10/01/99 pools and spas, water velocity in pipes in a pump-suction hydraulic system must not exceed 6 feet per second when 100% of the pump flow comes from the main drain system and any suction fitting in the main drain system is completely blocked. When 100% of the pump flow comes from the main drain system and one fitting is completely blocked, water velocity and flow rate at the remaining suction fittings must comply with the following.

      1. (A) if the fitting is a grate with at least a 24-inch diagonal measurement, the velocity of the water at the grate shall not exceed 1.5 feet per second; and
      2. (B) if the fitting does not have at least a 24-inch diagonal measurement, it must have an approved cover and the flow rate shall not exceed the approved flow rate for that cover.

   3. (3) Post-10/01/99 spas and pools that are 4 feet deep or less measured from the normal water level to the suction outlet and that have covers or grates that measure less than 24 inches diagonally, must also have a Safety Vacuum Release System (SVRS). No SVRS shall be installed to create an additional hazard (such as chlorine gas release, electrical danger, etc.) in the event of the deployment of the device. An SVRS is either an AVS or an SVRD, as defined below.

      1. (A) An AVS is a system that provides indirect suction and a break to the atmosphere and that is limited to 5 feet of head. An AVS is described in the United States CPSC "Guideline for Addressing Potential Entrapment Hazards Associated with Pools and Spas," Publication Number 363-009801. The vent of an AVS must be at least 2 inches in diameter and if vented by pipe, it must have a vent cover that may be removed only with a tool. Vent systems, other than surge pits that do not have direct suction between the pool drain(s) and pump and that are installed after September 1, 2004, must be:

         1. (i) a complete assembly that is engineered and manufactured offsite;
         2. (ii) designed so that a 1/2-inch ball will not pass through any vent opening; and
         3. (iii) installed and maintained so that the vent function will not be impaired by accumulation of vegetation or soil or by improper installation or maintenance of the vent system.
      2. (B) An SVRD is a vacuum safety valve or pump shut-off device that has been specifically designed and manufactured to help prevent entrapment hazards, according to the manufacturer's description of the device, by either cutting off electricity to the pump or allowing air to enter the main drain line, or both after the main drain or other suction line becomes blocked.

5. (e) Upgrading suction outlet systems on pre-10/01/99 pools and spas. No later than September 1, 2004, a pre-10/01/99 pool or spa shall have an approved cover or approved grate on each suction outlet, except that a vacuum outlet shall be permanently sealed or have a cover that closes automatically and can be opened only with a tool. If the manufacturer's installation instructions require the use of nuts or bolts they must be stainless steel or brass. A pre-10/01/99 pool or spa is required to be upgraded to comply with all other provisions of either subsection (d) of this section or paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection, as applicable no later than January 1, 2005.

   1. (1) In a pre-10/01/99 pool or spa, suction outlets that are 4 feet deep or less, as measured from the normal water level to the suction outlet, must have for each suction system:

      1. (A) dual hydraulically balanced suction outlets with approved covers as described in subsection (c)(1) of this section or approved grates as described in subsection (c)(4) of this section with a distance between the suction outlet fittings no less than 3 feet and no more than 20 feet, and either an AVS or SVRD as described in subsection (d)(3) of this section;
      2. (B) a single suction outlet with an approved cover or a grate with a minimum diagonal measurement of 24 inches and a flow velocity of 1.5 fps as described in subsection (c)(1), (2) or (4) of this section, and either an AVS or an SVRD as described in subsection (d)(3) of this section; or
      3. (C) dual hydraulically-balanced, suction outlets with a distance between the suction outlet fittings no less than 3 feet and no more than 20 feet, each with a minimum diagonal measurement of 24 inches and a flow velocity through the open area of the grate that does not exceed 1.5 feet per second.
   2. (2) In a pre-10/01/99 shallow pool or spa with water 3 feet deep or less that has no main drains or other suction outlets and the water turnover rate and the water quality required by these rules is maintained by gravity drainage from the shallow pool or spa to another deeper pool or spa that has a main drain, the shallow pool is not required to have a main drain, other suction outlet or an SVRS, provided the deeper pool complies with these rules.

   3. (3) In a pre-10/01/99 pool or spa, suction outlets that are more than 4 feet deep, as measured from the normal water level to the suction outlets, must have, for each suction system:

      1. (A) two or more hydraulically-balanced suction outlets with a distance between the suction outlet fittings no less than 3 feet and no more than 20 feet, and with approved covers or grates as described in subsection (c)(1), (2) or (4) of this section; or
      2. (B) a single suction outlet with an approved cover or approved grate as described in subsection (c)(1), (2) or (4) of this section, and either an AVS or an SVRD as described in subsection (d)(3) of this section.
6. (f) Stainless steel or brass fasteners for drain covers and grates in post-10/01/99 and pre-10/01/99 pools and spas. On a post-10/01/99 or pre-10/01/99 pool or spa, all suction outlet covers or grates must be designed to be opened only with the use of a tool. If the manufacturer of the cover or grate specifies that it should be installed with fasteners (e.g. screws or bolts), the fasteners must be stainless steel or brass.
7. (g) Vacuum outlets in post-10/01/99 and pre-10/01/99 pools and spas. If a post-10/01/99 or pre-10/01/99 pool or spa has a vacuum outlet, the outlet must be provided with a cover that automatically closes and automatically latches and that is designed to be opened only with the use of a tool. The cover must be installed according to manufacturer instructions and subsection (f) of this section. The cover must be securely closed and latched when the pool or spa is open for use. When a vacuum outlet is internally located in a skimmer that has a cover, a separate cover for the vacuum outlet is not required. If a vacuum outlet is provided in a post-10/01/99 pool or spa, it must be located in an accessible position at least 12 inches and no greater than 18 inches below the design water level or as an attachment to a skimmer. If a vacuum outlet is provided in a post-10/01/99 or pre-10/01/99 pool or spa, it may be permanently sealed in lieu of having a cover.
8. (h) Skimmer equalizer lines in post-10/01/99 and pre-10/01/99 pools and spas. If skimmer equalizer lines are installed in post-10/01/99 pools or spas they must be installed with an approved equalizer wall or drain cover as described in subsection (c) of this section. Skimmer equalizer lines in pre-10/01/99 pools and spas shall either be permanently sealed or fitted with an approved equalizer wall or drain cover as described in subsection (c) of this section.
9. (i) Automatic cleaners not operated while a post-10/01/99 or pre-10/01/99 pool or spa is in use. In a post-10/01/99 or pre-10/01/99 pool or spa, an automatic bottom or side cleaner that could provide a means of entanglement or entrapment must not be in the pool or operated while the facility is open for use.
10. (j) Check valves in post-10/01/99 and pre-10/01/99 pools and spas. Check valves shall not be used in a post-10/01/99 or pre-10/01/99 pool or spa except as provided in this subsection. Check valves may be used only when there is no other manual or practical way of preventing drainage from elevated pools or sections of pools. When check valves are used, they shall not be on the suction side of the pump, on any system that has single source suction (excluding skimmers), or where the manufacturer of an SVRS that is used on the system does not allow check valves.

11. (k) Velocity in suction piping in pre-10/01/99 pools and spas. In pre-10/01/99 pools and spas where the suction piping is not accessible, water velocities in the piping may exceed 6 feet per second if:

    1. (1) the water velocity through a grate on any suction outlet does not exceed 1.5 feet per second; and
    2. (2) the gallons per minute rating of an ANSI/ASME-approved cover on any suction outlet is not exceeded by the gpm flow of the pool as measured by the flow meter.
12. (l) Replacement cover on hand for post-10/01/99 and pre-10/01/99 pools and spas. For post-10/01/99 and pre-10/01/99 pools and spas, a replacement cover with stainless steel or brass fasteners (if fasteners are specified by the manufacturer) must be kept on site. This subsection does not apply to grates that are 24 inches or larger, measured diagonally.

13. (m) Clearance beneath a main drain cover or grate for post-10/01/99 pools and spas. Post-10/01/99 pools and spas, must have a sump below the open area of a drain cover or grate that meets the following:

    1. (1) clearance between the cover or grate and the closest part of the suction pipe must be at least one and one half times the diameter of the suction pipe or 8 inches, whichever is less; and
    2. (2) the sump must be below all of the open area of a drain cover or grate; or
    3. (3) cover assemblies that do not connect directly to the circulation piping must have either the manufacturer's recommended sump below the outlet cover, or a field built sump of the design specified by the manufacturer.
14. (n) Post-10/01/99 pools and spas constructed prior to the effective date of these rules may comply with clearance standards in subsection (o) of this section in lieu of this subsection.

15. (o) Clearance beneath a main drain cover or grate for pre-10/01/99 pools and spas. Pre-10/01/99 pools and spas must have clearance below the open area of a drain cover or grate that meets the following:

    1. (1) clearance between the cover or grate and the closest part of the suction pipe must be equivalent to at least the diameter of the suction pipe serving the suction outlet or 8 inches, whichever is less; or
    2. (2) cover assemblies that do not connect directly to the circulation piping must have either the manufacturer's recommended sump below the outlet cover, or a field built sump of the design specified by the manufacturer.

16. (p) Return inlets in post-10/01/99 pools and spas. Return inlets from the circulation system in post-10/01/99 and pre-10/01/99 pools and spas must be designed to not constitute a hazard to the user. Return inlets in post-10/01/99 pools and spas must comply with the following:

    1. (1) a post-10/01/99 pool must have one return inlet for each 300 square feet of surface area or portion thereof with a minimum of two return inlets per pool. A spa must have one return inlet for each 150 square feet of surface area or portion thereof with a minimum of two return inlets per spa; and
    2. (2) return inlets in a post-10/01/99 pool or spas must not project more than 1 inch beyond the pool or spa wall surface and must be submerged at least 12 inches below the design water level. Return inlets in the pool or spa bottom must be flush with the floor. Bottom inlets will be considered to have an area of influence within a radius of 15 feet.

Source Note:The provisions of this §265.190 adopted to be effective September 1, 2004, 29 TexReg 7704.