Statewide Iowa — Iowans with a private pool or hot tub who have leftover chlorine disinfectant from last year are lucky.
One-and-a-half million pounds of chlorine was destroyed in an explosion last fall at a plant in Louisiana and Iowa Parks and Recreation Association C-E-O Steven Jordison says that has caused the price of chlorine tablets to spike this year.
There are two other factors driving up demand for chlorine tablets. Jodison says an estimated 300 swimming pools impacted by the February storm that struck Texas are being replaced, repaired and refilled — plus the number of backyard pools rose dramatically due to the pandemic.
If hoarding becomes an issue with the pellets or tablets of chlorine that are used in private pools and hot tubs, Jordison says be careful if you buy online.
Some people with their own pool or hot tub use systems that convert salt into chlorine. Pools owned and operated by cities, hotels, home owners associations and recreation facilities use a different kind of liquid chlorine disinfectant and Jordison says it is not made at the plant in Louisiana that was damaged last fall.
