A major chlorine shortage is set to spoil summertime fun in the swimming pool
Category: News & Politics
Via: perrie-halpern • 3 years ago • 17 commentsBy: Chris DiLella and Seema Mody
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The worst chlorine shortage the country has ever seen is set to rock this summer's pool season.
"It's been a concern for us," said Cody Saliture, owner of Texas Pool Professionals, which has been in business for 17 years.
The Rockwall, Texas-based company services 200 clients weekly, and Saliture said he recently began to stockpile chlorine tablets. He's also been looking for different chemicals to keep pools sanitized and his customers happy.
"We're looking for anything that we can get that we don't have here in North Texas," Saliture said. "We've been to about six states and 15 cities [for supplies.]"
"We've been to about six states and 15 cities for supplies."
The chlorine shortage is widespread and it will likely worsen — driving chlorine prices even higher — as homeowners start to prep swimming pools for the season. CNBC spoke to pool industry insiders in multiple states — including Florida, Michigan, Nevada and Texas — about the tight supplies, which are expected to blindside pool owners, who are largely unaware of the problem.
A combination of factors has led to the scarcity, including an unprecedented surge in demand last year and a chemical plant fire, which destroyed some manufacturing capacity.
"We started buying early, way early, and stockpiled as much as we could," said Allan Curtis. "We won't last more than probably mid-May, or late May, and we'll be out of chlorine."
His pool maintenance business, Ask the Pool Guy, services 1,000 customers near Howell, Michigan. He's worked in the industry for 34 years, and this is the first time he's stockpiling chlorine.
″[I expect pool owners] will have to go from tablets to powdered chlorine, from powdered chlorine to liquid chlorine, from liquid chlorine to non-chlorinated shocks and things," Curtis said. "And I do believe that all of those are going to literally run out."
"I call it 'Poolmageddon.' It's a chlorine crisis," he said. "A lot of people are not going to be able to find the chlorine tablets they need this season."
Chlorine is used to prevent and kill algae. But more importantly, it also helps protect swimmers from waterborne illnesses such as cryptosporidium and legionella and from Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the brain-eating amoeba.
Chlorine helps protect swimmers from waterborne illnesses such as Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the brain-eating amoeba.
"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 said.
According to Atlanta-based research firm Pkdata, 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 percent to 70 percent use chlorine tablets.
Last year, the pandemic forced people to hunker down and cancel travel plans. As more Americans stayed home, the demand for home improvements — particularly backyard swimming pools — skyrocketed. That boom, experts say, created even more demand for chlorine.
Then, one of the country's major suppliers of chlorine tablets, BioLab, burned down last August, right after Hurricane Laura. The plant, located near Lake Charles, Louisiana, expects to resume operations by spring 2022.
"We know how essential our products are to everyday families at home ... that's why we are investing $170 million in rebuilding our BioLab facility — to be even bigger and better. Once complete, the plant will operate at 30 percent greater production capacity," said a spokesperson for BioLab's parent company, KIK Consumer Products.
After the fire, only two domestic manufacturers of chlorine tablets remain: Occidental Petroleum and Clearon. A spokesperson for Occidental said the company does not comment on production. Clearon didn't provide specific production targets.
"Clearon has made significant investments in both our people and production capacity to support the tectonic growth of our industry," said Bryan Kitchen, its president and CEO, in an email.
According to financial services company IHS Markit, chlorine prices are expected to spike 70 percent this summer, compared with last year. However, in some parts of the country, the price for chlorine tablets has already doubled over the past year.
In Las Vegas, it's something Scotty's Pool Service-owner Scotty Heer is seeing 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 said.
In some parts of the country, pool supply stores have imposed quantity restrictions.
"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]," he said.
With the chlorine shortage expected to continue through next year, four pool experts offer the following advice:
- Make sure the water looks clean and clear before getting in. "If it's a public pool, make sure it's inspected by a city or town official," said Saliture.
- Contact your local pool professional to discuss chlorine alternatives. From saltwater and UV systems to mineral packs, there are alternatives. "There are several different [mineral pack] names out there, and they've got a blend of minerals that you put in your water in the beginning of the swim season. They last all summer and are priced at less than $100, typically. They eliminate algae and cut down on the need for chlorine," Curtis said.
- Stay on top of your maintenance. "Don't forget filtration and water circulation are a big part of keeping swimming pools healthy," Stankowitz said.
- Shower before swimming and don't let pets in the pool. "A dog in a pool is equivalent to 50 people swimming in that pool, in terms of what debris it brings to the water," Curtis said.
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WOW The price will skyrocket.
Putting chlorine in a pool is like a fart in the wind, in the middle of summer the sunlight just sucks chlorine right back out. That's why they use the constantly dissolving tablets as well as liquid chlorine and powdered chlorine. And each is like 10 times stronger that normal landry chlorine. Mixed with muriatic acid makes a form of mustard gas. Nasty stuff !!!
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and more $$$$$$$$$ No Thanks !
Just another reason to not to have a pool. Just a hole with water in it that you throw thousands of dollars in.
LOL I helped build and repaired pools for 12 years in Florida. When I bought my home(s) NO pool was a requirement. I know first hand how much trouble and cost they are. No Thanks.
Boats are worse....
I put a UV sterilizer on my pool after seeing how well they worked on some of the large industrial heat transfer systems I have responsibility for. My chemical costs shrank to nothing providing a year payback on the UV equipment. Highly recommended.
Good idea.
When I was in pools the UV sterilizers were not near as good as I'm sure they are now.
Back then the UV sterilizers were only a part of the chemical balance system and were not capable of full chemical replacement. They also were quire expensive. But like most new technology I'm sure they have come down some in price by now as well.
Good move Fly. I'll bet by the end of summer they will be selling the sit out of those.
A good one will cost you $190, and some PVC joint compound.
Annual electric costs to operate:$72.00 in Lee Country, Florida
I would anticipate needing to replace bulbs/unit in 5-7 years.
My previous annual pool service with chemicals was $720/year
Damn the price has gone way down from just a few years ago. I remember a deceit one back in 2006 costing over $500 not counting installation.
And Like I said back then they were mainly just a supplement to chlorine.
Sounds like UV is now the way to go for sure.
Geezuz! Who knew my pool was so lethal?!
So far, my pool guy hasn’t said anything to me about raising my rates. Hopefully, it will stay that way.
I wouldn't bet on it. Tacos
Those guys suffer in the summer from the chlorine prices as it is. That's why most pool service companies want a year long contract.
They do good in the winter when not much chemicals are needed but it cost them much more in the summer when every pool is sucking up their money in chemicals.
Maybe just rub yourself down with hand sanitizer and go for a swim.
YUK.. The pools will all be Green.
Very quickly !!!
My hand sanitizer is aloe vera and isopropyl alcohol. No green there, lol.
Ha! I was going to suggest a scuba suit, but I like your solution much better.
Or maybe a hassard suit ?
There might be some brain-eating amoeba in that pool!
Maybe or even an alligator.
I've seen them in pools.
Not this big though...lol Small ones though.
I almost stumbled over one once behind a pool, a 6 fter, Freaked my ass out ! I went one way the gater went the other, freaked his ass out too. LOL
I watched out for the bastards after that.
Nah... Just ready for St. Patrick's day!
I have no interest in having a pool again. We've had pools in CA and NV and that was enough for me.
Good luck everyone with a pool.
Besides gators in Florida bears enjoy pools in CA.
That's a grizzly situation.....