As students are taking their end of grade tests and graduations are quickly approaching, pool owners, public and private, are preparing for the summer.

Memorial Day weekend usually marks the opening day for many pools around the county, but some Richmond County pools may need to make some changes before opening for the season.

The N.C. Commission for Public Health adopted amendments to the “North Carolina Rules Governing Public Swimming Pool” in late 2008. The construction design requirements were updated to require all public pools to have a safety drain installed.

“The federal law identified new safety measures but lacked sufficient enforcement provisions for state regulatory agencies to assure compliance,” said Jim Hayes, head of the Public Swimming Pool Program in N.C. Division of Environmental Health. “The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission relies on the states for enforcement of the act.”

In February the state amendments required that all drains smaller than 18-inches-by-23-inches have raised covers to prevent people from becoming trapped in the bottom of the pool. Since May 1, authorities have had the authority to close public swimming pools that do not meet the new drain requirements.

Richmond County Environmental Health Supervisor Mike Norton and his staff at the Environmental Health department will be checking public swimming pools.

“The pools are going to have to be in compliance. Several of the local pools will have to make some changes,” said Norton.

Owner of Long’s Pool and Spa, Tim Long, explained that the law is not causing any big changes for owners of private pools.

“It is not affecting private pools yet. A lot of new pools are being installed with the (safety drains). I would think most reputable places would be doing that,” said Long.

Chereka Belton-Odom, director of facilities, programs and operations at the Rockingham Housing Authority explained that the pool at Falling Creek had a safety drain installed last year.

Dave Davis, director of parks and recreation for Rockingham said, “We have been adapting to (the safety drains) for the past two years. We have worked with the health department and they guided us through the process.”

Cameron Quick can be reached at (910) 997-3111 ext. 15 or by e-mail at cquick@yourdailyjournal.com