More than 5 million above-ground pools are being recalled across the United States after nine young children drowned over the past 15 years.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said the pools, sold by Bestway, Intex, and Polygroup, have a serious safety flaw.
A compression strap that wraps around the outside of the pool's support poles can act like a step for small children.
Even if a pool ladder is removed, the strap can still help a child climb into the water—and that's how these tragic accidents happened.
According to FoxBusiness, the recalled pools are 48 inches or taller and were sold between 2002 and 2025 at major stores like Walmart, Target, Home Depot, Lowe's, Costco, and online at Amazon. Around 266,000 were also sold in Canada.
The CPSC confirmed that the drowning victims were all between 22 months and 3 years old. These deaths happened in several states, including California, Texas, Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Missouri, from 2007 to 2022.
A photo shared by the CPSC showed how a child could step on the strap to get inside the pool. This design flaw led the agency to take action.
RECALL: Bestway, Intex & Polygroup recall 5 million above ground pools 48 inches and taller with compression straps running on the outside of the pool legs that may create a foothold, allowing a child access to the pool; drowning hazard. 9 deaths reported: https://t.co/sDa3bQJoqA pic.twitter.com/JFLYcJGjGn
— US Consumer Product Safety Commission (@USCPSC) July 21, 2025
Bestway, Intex, Polygroup Urge Repairs for Recalled Pools
In a joint statement, Bestway, Intex, and Polygroup said they've been working with the CPSC since 2023 to improve pool safety standards, NYTimes said.
"The updated standard was finalized in May 2025 and aims to prevent unsupervised children from gaining a foothold," the companies said.
They also mentioned that most pools sold today already meet the new safety rules. However, the recall is meant to cover all models sold since 2002 to make sure older pools are just as safe.
To fix the issue, pool owners should contact the manufacturer for a free repair kit. The kit includes a rope that replaces the compression strap but still keeps the pool strong. Once the rope is installed, the original strap can be safely removed.
The CPSC strongly urges families to keep kids away from recalled pools until they are repaired. If that's not possible, they recommend draining the pool to avoid any risk.
Parents can find their pool's brand name and model number printed on the outside liner.
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