Swimming Pool Maintenance Teams May Need to Explore Chlorine Options

As pool season approaches, swimming pool maintenance is shifting into high gear. But apartment management teams may have to adjust their pool care strategy for keeping water healthful and clear given recent changes in the availability of cleaning and sanitization products. In August, Hurricane Laura’s destructive presence in Louisiana led to a devastating fire that diminished supplies for a major chlorine producer. The damage has affected the supply of Trichlor, a popular type of chlorine for commercial and residential pool use. The good news is that alternatives are available from suppliers who specialize in the multifamily housing industry.  Chlorine options for swimming pool maintenance  Trichloro-s-triazinetrione tablets, better known and sold as Trichlor, have become the go-to chlorine for many commercial properties. This mix of chlorine and cyanuric acid is a long-lasting sanitizer and oxidizer of pool water. The tablets slowly dissolve and equally distribute chlorine, making them one of the most affordable options on the market.  Swimming pool maintenance teams typically “set it and forget it” by dropping a few tablets into an erosion feeder, sometimes called an automatic chlorinator, to keep free available chlorine (FAC) levels in line.  Using Trichlor does have a few drawbacks. It can raise the cyanuric acid to levels that can reduce the chlorine’s effectiveness, and because Trichlor also has a low pH, between 2.8-3.5, it can also lower pH and total alkalinity below their desired ranges. Pool water should be tested frequently per health code requirements to ensure that the FAC, pH, cyanuric acid and total alkalinity remain in the acceptable ranges. Other tests may be required.  Leslie’s, the nation’s largest pool supply company and a leading pool and equipment supplier in the multifamily housing industry, does not expect its 2021 Trichlor supply to be affected by the Louisiana fire, but the...