Nathan Bomey and Eli Golde
USA TODAY and The Gainesville Sun
The smell of chlorine could be more elusive than usual this summer.
That's because the swimming pool industry is grappling with a chlorine shortage that has caused prices of the chemical to soar, forcing pool owners to consider alternatives.
"Pool chlorine is not easy to get, and there's a chlorine shortage nationally that we're all going to have to deal with," John Swygert, CEO of Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings, told investors on a recent conference call.
While chlorine demand jumped in 2020 as Americans spent more time at home with their pools due to the coronavirus pandemic, this year's shortage stems largely from an incident at a plant in Westlake, Louisiana, in August.