CPSC Warns Consumers to Stop Using iGarden Swim Jet Drain Covers Due to Drowning Hazard

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has the authority to issue unilateral safety warnings when a manufacturer declines to conduct a voluntary recall, and the agency exercised that power on September 10, 2026, to direct pool owners to immediately disable and destroy iGarden Swim Jets combination drain covers. The federal regulator stated that the devices fail to meet national anti-entrapment standards, creating a severe drowning hazard for swimmers. Because the importer, iGarden.ai, has been unresponsive to requests for a formal recall program, the CPSC is advising consumers to permanently remove the covers from service themselves.[1][2][3]

The regulatory action centers on the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act, a federal law enacted to prevent the powerful suction of pool drains from trapping swimmers underwater. According to the CPSC, the iGarden covers do not comply with the entrapment protection requirements mandated by the legislation. Furthermore, the agency noted that the products lack essential safety markings, service-life statements, and proper installation and maintenance instructions, leaving users without critical operational guidance.[1]

The affected model, designated as the P100, is a combination drain cover and swim jet system designed to create an artificial current for stationary swimming, effectively turning a standard backyard pool into an endless lap pool. The units feature a silver metal housing with a large circular jet opening shaped using a ramjet-style nozzle in the front, while the body and back of the housing contain holes to pull in water. They measure exactly 14.02 inches long, 14.33 inches wide, and 11.06 inches high.[1][2]

These systems were sold directly to consumers through the manufacturer's website, store.igarden.ai, and potentially through other online retailers. While the CPSC has reported zero specific entrapment incidents or injuries associated with the P100 model to date, the agency emphasizes that the structural non-compliance alone warrants the immediate cessation of use. The risk of a swimmer, particularly a child, becoming trapped against a non-compliant drain by the force of the suction is a documented and frequently fatal hazard in the pool industry.[1]

For pool owners, the federal directive is absolute: any pool equipped with an iGarden P100 swim jet must be closed to swimmers until the device is removed and replaced with a compliant drain cover. Consumer safety advocates at The Pulse Signal stress that treating the pool as safe while the unit remains installed, even if it is temporarily powered off, is a dangerous miscalculation. The physical design of the cover itself, regardless of whether the jet is actively running, presents the entrapment risk.[1][2]

The CPSC explicitly instructs owners not to sell, donate, or give away the hazardous covers, as doing so would simply transfer the entrapment risk to another household. Instead, the agency mandates that the units be destroyed. In its official notice, the CPSC urges consumers to "destroy the drain covers by unplugging, cutting the power cord, and disposing of them." By instructing consumers to sever the cord before disposing of the heavy metal housing, regulators aim to ensure that the devices cannot be salvaged from the trash and reinstalled by an unsuspecting secondary buyer.[1][2]

The lack of a cooperative recall fundamentally changes the consumer's position. In a standard product recall, the manufacturer works with the CPSC to establish a pathway for a refund, a free repair, or a compliant replacement unit. Because iGarden.ai has not responded to the agency's requests, no such remedy program exists. This leaves the financial burden of replacing the non-compliant equipment entirely on the consumer, a frustrating reality for buyers who spent heavily on the system.[1][2]

Moving forward, the CPSC will continue to monitor the situation and may pursue further enforcement actions against the importer if they remain non-compliant. In the meantime, the agency urges all pool owners to verify that their drain covers meet current Virginia Graeme Baker Act standards. For those who purchased the iGarden P100, the immediate task is to cut the cord, dispose of the unit, and consult a licensed pool professional to install a safe, legally compliant alternative before allowing anyone back into the water.[1]