What is a Collector Tank?

Commercial pools and spas must have a recirculation system for cleaning and sanitizing the water. This is a system of piping and mechanics that is designed to remove the water from the pool/spa and then filter it, disinfect it, and return it to the pool/spa. The number of times the water must be recirculated per day is dependent upon the size and water capacity of the individual pool/spa.

Direct suction is when the recirculation pump pulls the water directly from the swimming pool through the drain outlet with nothing to stop or slow down the force of the water. This can cause a powerful suction to occur at the drain outlet. This suction can be so strong that it can trap and hold anyone near the drain when the recirculation process is occurring.

Gravity Drainage is a circulation system where the water flowing from the pool/spa does not connect directly to the pump. A Gravity Drainage System (GDS) works on the principle that a properly sized and located tank installed between the pool and the pump can limit the amount of suction created when the main drain is blocked. The suction line to the pump is connected to the collector tank, not to the main drain. Water flows from the main drain in the pool to the collector tank by gravity, and from the collector tank to the pump by pump-caused suction. With this recirculation system, the main drain is not a source of pump-caused suction.

All Florida swimming pools and spas are required to replace the existing main drain grate/cover. Florida’s newer public pools (since 1977), and spas (since 1993), that were built with gravity drainage to a collector tank would only need to replace the main drain grate/cover to comply with the Act. Some older spas were built with suction-limiting vent system with a tamper-resistant atmospheric opening. These facilities, also, will only need to replace the main drain grate/cover to be in compliance with the Federal Act. The older direct suction pools and spas will need to replace the main drain grate/cover and provide a gravity drainage system with a collector tank to be in compliance with the Florida Law.

 

Where does the Collector Tank get installed?

Florida law requires a collector tank to be placed below the pump (the collector tank is part of a gravity drainage system – please see What is a Collector Tank for more details).  This allows the water to drain from the pool/spa by gravity, not suction. Nothing mechanical pulls the water from the pool/spa. It is free-flowing to the collector tank. The water is then filtered from the collector tank and cleansed. There is little suction from the bottom drain to the pool. The collector tank is a reservoir with a minimum of 2.25 square feet of water surface area which is open to the atmosphere. It receives the water by gravity flow from the main drain line.

(Examples of gravity flow drainage systems are your kitchen sink or bathtub: nothing pulls the water except gravity; therefore, the water flow is not strong enough to cause great suction at the drain outlet.)

 

Who can legally install a Collector Tank?

WARNING! KNOW YOUR CONTRACTOR AND HIS QUALIFICATIONS! As of May 2009, the Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board issued a declaratory statement clarifying what type of contractor can legally perform the conversion of direct suction public/commercial pools to gravity-fed collection tank system pools in accordance with the amended Florida Public Swimming Pool Code requirements in Rule 64E-9, Florida Administrative Code. Essentially, the contractor must be a commercial pool builder to perform this work, such as Pool XPerts USA.

It’s unlawful for any person(s) to begin construction or modification of any public pool without first having received written approval from the Florida Department of Health. The DH 914, form along with construction drawings by a professional engineer, licensed by the State of Florida, must be submitted prior to beginning construction or modification. Upon payment of all fees and approval of engineering plans, the plans and applications not required for use by the Department will be delivered to the design engineer for distribution to the owner and the pool contractor. At that time, a permit is issued and construction may begin. (Link to review the law: 64E-9.005 Construction Plan or Modification Plan Approval.)

Pool X Perts USA supports the Florida Department of Health and their authority to administer the Florida Statute 64E-9 of the Swimming Pool Code. With our through knowledge of the 64E-9 codes and our years of experience, we are ready to help you abide by the law. Call us today, or fill out the form at the bottom of this page, and arrange a free inspection of your site. Let’s get started today. The deadlines for compliance are here. Avoid closing; reduce your liability and provide a safe swimming environment for your guests.

 

Don’t let this happen to you!

 

Pool X Perts USA is qualified and experienced with installing collector tanks.  If you decide this is the route you want to take, you can review our sample Collector Tank Contract and then fill out the form below to get started.  Please note that to give an accurate estimate on contract work a site survey is required and this incurs a $100 fee payable up front.  If you sign the contract and we install the collector tank that fee is deducted from the contract price.

 

If you would like to view your less expensive, though not as reliable, options; then please visit our SVRS or ASOS pages.

Below are photos of a recent collector tank install.