The 8 AWG bonding conductor is required when replacing a pool pump motor that is not double insulated.

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Bonding keeps all metal parts around the pool at the same electrical potential so a fault won’t create a shock hazard in the water. A pool pump motor that isn’t double insulated has exposed metal that could energize, so it must be bonded to the pool’s equipment-bonding network with an 8 AWG copper bonding conductor. If the motor is double insulated, there are no exposed conductive parts to bond, so bonding isn’t required. So the bonding requirement targets only those motors that are not double insulated, using an 8 AWG conductor to connect the motor’s metal parts to the pool’s bonding system.