By The Pool & Hot Tub Association
Compliance with all versions of the VGB Act Drain Cover/SOFA Standard (VGB-2008 and VGBA2017) requires that manufactured suction outlet fitting assemblies be certified, listed, and labeled in accordance with the applicable standard at the time the specific product was manufactured. Products certified to either version remain legal to sell, install, and use through their service life.
Damaged product must be replaced regardless of remaining service life that begins when installed, with or without water.
Registered Design Professional suction outlet fitting assemblies (RDP SOFA) must also be certified. However, this type of suction outlet is field fabricated under the supervision of the RDP who must be recognized by the local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). RDP SOFAs do not require physical markings like manufactured product; instead, the standards require RDPs to provide the certification information in the form of engineering/architectural plans and/or a certification report.
In both instances, copies of the applicable certification information must be kept on-site, ready for CPSC and local AHJ inspection.
Drain covers/SOFAs manufactured in conformance with the VGB-2008 standard (approximately December 2007 through May 2021) had to be 3rd-party tested and certified. What qualifies as a 3rd-party was clarified in the updated VGBA-2017 standard. Testing must now be conducted in an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory and the certification must be conducted by an ISO 17065 accredited certification body. This results in products that are certified, listed, and labeled to the VGBA-2017 standard, the terms used by many building and health codes to identify ‘approved’ products. Manufacturers must also make available a General Certificate of Conformity (GCC) as required by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. This is unique to drain covers/SOFAs, as compared to pumps, filters, and other certified pool products, and is one of the easiest and most accurate ways to identify product that fully complies with the VGB Act.
While the VGBAct does not address water quality issues, specifically that materials in contact with recreational water should not impart undesirable levels of contaminants or color to the water, most building and health codes do address these concerns by requiring product conformance with ANSI/NSF 50. This is another product certification backed by additional 3rd-party testing. Manufacturers who voluntarily certify to ANSI/NSF 50 typically provide documentation upon request as it is not required for VGB Act compliance.
Identifying product that is properly certified, listed, and labeled is critically important for both safety and compliance, a task complicated by changes to the drain cover/SOFA marking requirements. See Table.
Proper installation: When inspecting any suction fittings, make sure they are installed correctly. This includes the drain covers/ SOFAs (floor and wall) and skimmer equalizer line fittings. The VGB Act addresses all fully submerged suction outlets, which include skimmer equalizer lines, usually located beneath the skimmer openings, but sometimes they are located on the floor. All fully submerged suction outlets must be protected by covers or grates that are compatible with the sump and that meet the VGB-2008 or VGBA-2017 standards.
