Anacortes finds alternative chlorine supply for water treatment

Jun. 22—ANACORTES — After experiencing the impacts of a nationwide chlorine shortage, the city of Anacortes received an additional 10-day supply Monday, Mayor Laurie Gere announced at Monday night's City Council meeting.

The city expects an up to 20-day supply of chlorine to arrive later this week, she said.

Chlorine is used in both water treatment and wastewater treatment.

An electrical failure at the region's only chlorine plant in Longview early this month affected the city's ability to secure chlorine. Earlier disruptions at plants in Louisiana and Texas have resulted in nationwide shortages.

While the city usually has a 30-day supply of chlorine on hand, it announced Friday it only had 10 days of supply due its usual supplier canceling shipments.

With uncertainty around chlorine supply, the city requested Friday its water utility customers take measures to voluntarily conserve water.

The Anacortes Water Treatment plant serves about 65,000 customers, including in Anacortes, La Conner, Oak Harbor, Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, the March Point refineries and the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community.

The city anticipates it will have a "workable supply of sodium hypochlorite (chlorine) as soon as the plants producing the product come back on line and distributors catch up with the backlog of orders caused due to the initial disruption," a fact sheet on the city's website states.

Gere said Monday the city worked with the Marathon and Shell oil refineries and LTI Trucking Services to find an interim supply of chorine.

"We're thankful to the community partners that have helped us," she said.

The Skagit Public Utility District, the county's other water provider, said last week it had about 60 days supply of chlorine and was not worried about running short.

— Reporter Jacqueline Allison: jallison@skagitpublishing.com, 360-416-2145, Twitter: @Jacqueline_SVH