Chlorine Shortage Hits the Nation Just in Time For Summer

Chlorine Shortage Hits the Nation Just in Time For Summer - Our country is facing the worst chlorine shortage it has ever seen – and it’s hitting just in time for the busy summer season! As a result, chlorine prices are being pushed higher and higher -- just as homeowners are opening and cleaning their pools for the season. Several factors have led to this shortage, with the surge in demand mainly due to effects from last year’s pandemic.

The shortage is prompting local pool businesses to stockpile chlorine in tablet, powder and liquid form. Pools need chlorine so they can prevent and kill algae; protect swimmers from waterborne illnesses like cryptosporidium, legionella and the brain-eating Naegleria fowleri; keep disease-ridden mosquitoes away; and keep cloudy water at bay – a contributing factor to drowning.

Price Spike

Chlorine prices are expected to increase up to 70 percent this summer, with the price of chlorine tablets double what it was last year. For example, a standard 50-pound bucket of chlorine used to cost between $75 and $85. But now, it’s about $140, on its way up to nearly $160 shortly.

Many pool supply stores are imposing quantity restrictions, allowing customers to purchase only one or two buckets each.

Chlorine Shortage Driven By the Pandemic

There are more than 5.2 million residential inground pools and 255,000 commercial pools in this country, and between 60 and 70 percent use chlorine tablets. Last year’s COVID pandemic drove up the demand for pools and other home improvements, by canceling travel plans and forcing everyone to stay at home. The demand for chlorine skyrocketed as more and more people decided to install pools.

On top of that, BioLab -- a manufacturing facility of one of the U.S.’s major suppliers of chlorine tablets -- experienced a devastating fire in August 2020. It’s the hope of this Lake Charles, Louisiana plant that it will start operating again in spring of next year. However, this doesn’t help anyone very much this year.

Just two domestic manufacturers of chlorine tablets remain to pick up the slack: Occidental Petroleum and Clearon Corp. They have both made big investments in the production capacity of chlorine to better handle the increased demand, but the effects will take a while to be felt.

Some Alternatives to Consider

There are a few chlorine alternatives that do exist. Saltwater pools, for instance, produce chlorine from salt through the process of electrolysis. While it doesn’t replace chlorine, it makes its own.

Many pool owners have subsequently converted to salt systems, at an investment of about $2,000. Other alternatives include copper and silver ionization systems, which also cost about $2,000.

There are also UV and ozone systems, which use less chlorine than a standard pool, or no chlorine at all. But the cost can be high. For example, the cost of switching a 10,000-gallon backyard pool to a chlorine-free ozone treatment could be as high as $20,000; thankfully, some systems can cost as little as $2,000.

This doesn’t mean salt systems will solve all your problems. Because of the swimming pool boom, the demand is very high right now for salt water systems and other alternatives.

Tips for Pool Maintenance

Check out this advice to managing your pool during the shortage:

1. Shower before swimming: Always take a shower before entering the water to remove impurities and oils.
2. Keep pets out of your pool. Letting your dog in the pool is equivalent to letting 50 people swim in that same pool. You want to reduce the amount of oils and debris that you allow in the pool, to lessen the demand on what little chlorine you have left.
3. Contact your local pool provider and inquire about chlorine alternatives. Ask about your options, which can range from saltwater and UV systems to mineral packs. These will eliminate algae and reduce the need for chlorine.
4. Maintain your pool. Remember: filtration and water circulation will keep your pool healthy. Stay on top of every effort to maintain your pool with or without an abundance of chlorine.

To learn more tips or to ask about our chlorine alternatives during this shortage, contact Central Jersey Pools today!