Over 5.2 million pools sold across the U.S. and Canada are under recall after reports of nine deaths

Key Points

• Over 5.2 million aboveground pools from Bestway, Intex and Polygroup sold since 2002 in the U.S. and Canada are recalled due to external compression straps that create a foothold for unsupervised children.
• The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports nine drowning deaths of children aged 22 months to 3 years between 2007 and 2022 after gaining access via the straps; no fatalities have been reported in Canada.
• The recall applies only to pools 48 inches and taller, with model details available on CPSC and Health Canada websites for consumer identification.
• Owners are urged to immediately contact the manufacturers for a free repair kit (rope replacement) or alternatively drain the pool until the strap is replaced, and always supervise small children.

NEW YORK (AP) — More than 5.2 million aboveground swimming pools sold across the U.S. and Canada over the last two decades are being recalled after nine drowning deaths were reported.

The recall covers a range of Bestway, Intex Recreation and Polygroup pools that were sold by major retailers as far back as 2002. According to Monday notices published by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, these pools have compression straps running along the outside of the product — which “may create a foothold” for small children and allow them to access the water unattended.

That can pose a serious drowning risk, the safety regulatory warn. To date, the CPSC believes nine children across the U.S. have drowned after gaining access to these now-recalled pools in this way. Those deaths occurred between 2007 and 2022, involving children between the ages of 22 months and 3 years old. No additional fatalities have been reported in Canada.

Consumers in possession of these pools are urged to immediately contact Bestway, Intex and/or Polygroup to receive a free repair kit — which will consist of a rope to replace the compression strap. Owners of these pools should otherwise ensure that small children cannot access the pool without supervision, regulators note — and could alternatively drain the pool until the repair is made.

All of the pools being recalled are 48 inches or taller — and can be identified by brand and model names listed on both the CPSC and Health Canada's recall notices. Sales of the pools ranged by model and location, but date as far back to 2002 and as recently as 2025.

About 5 million of these now-recalled pools were sold across the U.S. — including both online and in-stores at major retailers like Walmart, Target, Lowe's, Costco and Amazon. Another 266,000 were sold in Canada.