Chlorine Shortage Could Impact Millions of Pools This Summer--Here's What You Should Know

[Backseat Driver]

https://www.bhg.com/syndication/a-chlorine-shortage-could-impact-millions-of-pools-this-summer-heres-what-you-should-know/?did=637653-20210526&cmp=bhgdecorating_052621&utm_campaign=bhg-decorating_newsletter&utm_source=bhg.com&utm_medium=email&utm_content=052621&cid=637653&mid=58453461777

Morgan Smith - May 4, 2021

Swimmers may have to wait a little while longer before diving into summer.

The United States is experiencing a nationwide chlorine shortage fueled by a pandemic-induced swimming pool boom and a fire at a major chemical plant in Louisiana, according to multiple outlets.

Demand for swimming pools has skyrocketed amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as people spend more time outdoors and in their backyards — and that demand has put a strain on chlorine supplies, CNBC reported. (snip)

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Not sure of a better forum in which to put this article. In addition, perhaps it was posted earlier this month? Has anyone experienced problems with swimming pool setup?

[marble falls]

1. A chlorine shortage is a joke.

https://ourpastimes.com/how-to-build-your-own-diy-homemade-chlorine-generator-12428367.html

[Disaffected]

8. As is the

article you reference.

[marble falls]

10. Oh? You missed the point? Chlorine is a simple thing produce. Look it up. So tell me, what are ...

... your qualification to judge the article?

[Disaffected]

17. Chemical Engineer

Certainly chlorine is simple to produce. Doing it safely is quite another matter.

The procedure your referenced is a recipe for a bad outcome (electrifying the pool water for one - not hard to imagine some poor schmuck building the contraption and plugging it in to a 120V house line). And adding salt to the poo; water to make it conductive no less.

Your post is irresponsible; please delete it now.

[marble falls]

20. Safe Water International Ministries ...

http://swimforhim.org/about-us/

[Disaffected]

23. What the F does that video have to do with

electrifying the water in a swimming pool??

Take your post down, NOW.

[Whiskeytide]

12. So that author wants you to electrify your pool ...

... to save a few bucks on chlorine? What could possibly go wrong?

[marble falls]

14. Talk to the DUer two posts downw/a salt system. There is electricity all around your pool. ....

... My point went right past you: there's no high tech process involved with making chlorine, there's no reason for a shortage.


Chlorine Production
[Search domain chlorine.americanchemistry.com] https://chlorine.americanchemistry.com/Chlorine/ChlorineProduction/
A: Chlorine is produced from one of nature's most plentiful and inexhaustible minerals—common salt, sodium chloride. Yes, the same white solid you sprinkle on your baked potato! Chlorine is produced using the "chlor-alkali process." In this process, electricity is applied to a solution of salt water, or brine.

How is chlorine prepared in the laboratory? - eNotes.com
[Search domain enotes.com] https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/how-is-chlorine-prepared-laboratory-600900
The most way common method of preparing chlorine gas in the laboratory is by using manganese dioxide to oxidize hydrochloric acid, as shown by this equation: The manganese dioxide is heated with...

Make Hydrogen,Oxygen and Chlorine : 6 Steps - Instructables
[Search domain instructables.com] https://www.instructables.com/Make-HydrogenOxygen-And-
Chlorine/
Oxygen. Oxygen is a chemical element with symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the halogen group on the periodic table and is a highly reactive nonmetallic element and oxidizing agent that readily forms compounds (notably oxides) with most elements.Photosynthesis releases oxygen, and respiration consumes oxygen.

Chlorine Story
[Search domain chlorine.americanchemistry.com] https://chlorine.americanchemistry.com/Chlorine/What-is-Chlorine/Chlorine-Story/
The most common method of making chlorine is by passing an electric current through a saltwater solution. The solution separates into chlorine and two other useful products: sodium hydroxide—also known as caustic soda or lye—and hydrogen. Every year, approximately 13.6 million metric tons of chlorine are produced in North America.

Chemistry for Kids: Elements - Chlorine
[Search domain ducksters.com] https://www.ducksters.com/science/chemistry/chlorine.php
Chlorine is the second element in the seventeenth column of the periodic table. It is classified as a member of the halogen group.It has 17 electrons and 17 protons with 7 valence electrons in the outer shell.

[Whiskeytide]

16. Your point didn't go past me. I understood you ...

... just fine. My comment was directed at the eventuality of an electrocution.

That DIY system might work. I have no idea. I’m not an engineer or an electrician. Nor a chemist. Nor a pool tech.

I am a lawyer. If Bert and Stan start hooking up electrodes to their pool based on that article, just let me know where they live.

[marble falls]

21. Got an electric light in your pool? Use an electric pump to cirulate or drain your pool?

[Disaffected]

24. Is your hat on too tight?

Electric lights and pumps are rigorously electrically isolated from the pool water. Your contraption places electrodes IN the water.

[Submariner]

2. If this was Trumps EPA, he would suspend chlorine injection for water and

wastewater disinfection and sell chlorine supplies to his MAGApals in the swimming pool biz.

He made changes to pesticides to weaken human health protection regulations for his chem industry pals, so he would profit off this shortfall.

[jimfields33]

15. Thank goodness all 3 pools in my community are good to go.

[NightWatcher]

3. I have a salt system. They are definitely the way to go.

It's not as harsh and it won't ruin your suits.

[blueinredohio]

19. I have a salt system too.

So much easier to take care of.

[GoodRaisin]

22. Same here.

Expect the next shortages to be on chlorine generators and salt cells.

[Marrah_Goodman]

4. Too many people were injecting it to stop the virus.........

(sorry, someone had to say it )

[rurallib]

6. !

[Tribetime]

18. Nice 😁

[ProfessorGAC]

5. Other Alternatives

I checked the Chemical Economics Handbook and there appears to be squeeze on benzyl or methyl chloride, particularly out of India (despite the COVID wildfire there).
These are the reactants used in very common quaternized ammonium salts widely used in disinfection & sanitization product, including pool products like HTS.
They carry the advantage that they dry skin less & are less susceptible to uV decomposition from the sun. (Adequate levels stick around longer.)
There also products that are fairly mild organoperoxides. There's no shortage of atmospheric oxygen.
These all cost somewhat more than sodium hypochlorite solution, but it's not huge when the normal option doesn't exist at your local store.

[FSogol]

7. Let the hoarding begin!

If there wasn't a shortage before, there will be now.

[Fullduplexxx]

9. Hoarders suck

[Tree Lady]

11. If you can't set up salt you can use

Clorax bleach. I read that in a pool site years ago when I had a pool. I was having problems keeping pool clean. I would buy it in bulk at Costco.

It was out a bit when covid first hit but it is back.

[LeftInTX]

25. The amount of Clorox needed for this is fairly high..

Remember the Clorox shortage from last year???

The reason for this recommendation is that clorox is a less stable form of chlorine. It doesn't have some of the issues that dichlor and trichlor have. Dichlor and trichlor last longer, but over time, they build up in the pool water and bind to other molecules in the water and over extended periods of time lose their effectiveness. Adding more dichlor eventually stops working (It's a buffer system thing)

Chlorine bleach breaks down fairly quickly.

I had to drain my pool after using dichlor for several years.

I had a 10 foot diameter, 3 foot deep pool and that thing used almost a bottle of clorox every night!

[Kaleva]

13. urine has been used as a disinfectant for hundreds of years.

[Luciferous]

26. Get a saltwater system. When we had our first pool that's what we had.

[WarGamer]

27. Convert to Saltwater