Chlorine Shortage Threatens Summertime Fun In Swimming Pools

The product shortages continue, only this time it could impact a whole lot of summertime plans.

Chlorine is the latest product to be added to the growing list of supply shortages just in time for the summer pool season, and it is set to be the most significant shortage that the U.S. has ever seen, CNBC reported.

Not only is the shortage a widespread concern, but it is likely to get worse as homeowners prepare their swimming pools for the warm weather season, sending prices soaring for chlorine.

According to CNBC, homeowners are not even aware of the supply issue yet, which is being caused by an increase in demand compared to 2020 and a scarcity caused by a chemical plant fire at BioLab in August 2020 that disrupted production capacity.

The BioLab facility isn’t expected to be back online until spring 2022 after a $170 million investment to rebuild the plant, the news outlet reported. Only two other manufacturers of chlorine exist domestically – Occidental Petroleum and Clearon Corp.

The COVID pandemic caused a spike in the number of backyard swimming pools being installed, as people stayed home for the summer of 2020, forgoing summer vacations and other plans –creating a big demand this year for chlorine.

And chlorine is definitely a need in pools as it prevents and kills algae and waterborne illnesses.

“Chlorine also helps prevent swimming pools from becoming a hotbed for mosquitoes and associated diseases, as well as aiding in preventing unsafe conditions that could contribute to drowning — such as cloudy water,” Rudy Stankowitz, CEO at Aquatic Facility Training & Consultants, told CNBC.

As for the chlorine shortage, Stankowitz called it, “Poolageddon.” He told the news outlet, “It’s a chlorine crisis. A lot of people are not going to be able to find the chlorine tablets they need this season.

Of the 5.2 million residential inground pools and 255,000 commercial pools, according to the research firm, Pkdata (via CNBC), 60% to 70% use chlorine tablets, he estimated.

And prices of chlorine are definitely on the rise already.

Scotty Heer, owner of Las Vegas-based Scotty’s Pool Service, told CNBC that “For the past 20 years, a typical 50-pound bucket of chlorine would run anywhere from $75 to $85. Within the last year, it’s increased to $140, with the proposed price of $158 in the near future.

He continued by saying, “Sometimes the parts stores are completely out, other times, there’s a limit of one or two buckets — per company, per day — where we used to be able to buy an unlimited [amount].”