Meanwhile, the higher prices for chlorine tabs have created a stronger market for other forms of chlorine, including liquid chlorine, whose prices have also gone up.

“Two gallons cost about $15.99, up 30% compared to last year,” Saha said.

To lower chemical costs, Jasper’s best advice is to include select specialty chemicals in your pool cleaning regimen, which may help prolong chlorine efficacy. For example, phosphate, which encourages algae growth, can be removed from pools with a wellchosen phosphate remover. Algicides can help with existing algae. Enzymes can cut down on organic load, further preserving chlorine’s usability.

Finally, converting pools to salt, incorporating a salt-water chlorine generator, can cut down on long-term chlorine costs, although the shortterm cost – between $2-3,000 — is nothing to sneeze at.

But with supply chain troubles and increased demand for both chlorine generators as well as the salt itself, this solution may be easier said than done.