‘Poolmageddon’: Chlorine shortage could disrupt summertime fun

Ready to take a dip in the pool this summer? A nationwide chlorine shortage could spoil those plans, industry experts said.

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“It’s been a concern for us,” Cody Saliture, owner of Texas Pool Professionals, in Rockwall, Texas, told CNBC.

Saliture, who has been in business for 17 years and whose company services 200 clients weekly, said he recently began to stockpile chlorine tablets, the network reported.

Industry publications began reporting a shortage of chlorine tablets last year, according to Business Insider. The supply became limited after BioLab, a chlorine manufacturer based in Lake Charles, Louisiana, was severely damaged by a fire in August 2020 after Hurricane Laura, CNBC reported.

The effect of lockdowns due to COVID-19 also contributed to more pool usage and upkeep, Pool Magazine reported in September 2020. The trade publication added that more pool companies were switching to alternative methods of sanitizing pool water and predicted the price of chlorine would rise.

“I call it ‘Poolmageddon.’ It’s a chlorine crisis,” author Rudy Stankowitz told CNBC. “A lot of people are not going to be able to find the chlorine tablets they need this season.”

Stankowitz has worked in the industry for more than 30 years and is the author of “How to Get Rid of Swimming Pool Algae.” He is the CEO of Aquatic Facility Training & Consultants in Gainesville, Florida.

Chlorine is commonly used to treat pool water and is effective at killing harmful germs and bacteria, CNBC reported. Without proper amounts of chlorine, swimmers may be exposed to several illnesses, including diarrhea, Hepatitis A, swimmer’s ear and athlete’s foot, according to ChemicalSafetyFacts.org.

“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,” Stankowitz told CNBC.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a free chlorine concentration of at least 1 part per million (ppm) in swimming pools and 3 ppm in hot tubs, the Miami Herald reported. Both levels should be checked regularly when in use, according to the CDC.

Atlanta-based research firm Pkdata reported there are 5.2 million residential inground pools in the U.S. and 255,000 commercial pools. The number of above-ground pools is unknown.

Stankowitz estimated that 60% to 70% of those pools use chlorine tablets, CNBC reported.

Scott Heer, who owns Scotty’s Pool Service in Las Vegas, said he is experiencing the price hikes firsthand.

“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,” Heer told CNBC. “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).”

Cox Media Group