UPDATE: Anacortes chlorine supply now adequate for water treatment plant

UPDATE: ANACORTES — The City of Anacortes’ supply of sodium hypochlorite (chlorine) to its regional water system is now stable, the city announced in a news release June 23. Chlorine was delivered Wednesday and Thursday putting the water treatment plant at an above average level and the wastewater treatment plant at near full capacity.

Residents no longer need to conserve water.

The Wednesday print edition story follows. Its headline: Chlorine shortage requires conserving water

Greater La Conner residents are being asked to conserve water by the City of Anacortes, which supplies the town’s water. Anacortes is asking all residents and customers in its regional water utility to take measures to conserve. Their supply of chlorine has been disrupted, a result of an electrical failure at Westlake Chemical, based in Longview, Washington, reports the Washington Department of Health, which estimated “the situation is expected to be resolved within a couple of weeks” in a June 17 news release.

Anacortes found out June 15 that their supply would be disrupted. Orders were canceled June 16, Nicole Tesch, administrative manager in the public works division, told the Weekly News. She reported a small delivery Monday and expects another later in the week. The city now has more than a two week supply in stock.

There is a national chlorine shortage of sodium hypochlorite, the main chemical compound used to disinfect the water produced at its water treatment facility located at River Bend Road in Mount Vernon.

Tesch expects a “workable supply of sodium hypochlorite 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,” but noted the time needed to resume production is uncertain. She promised the public will be kept informed. If strict conservation is needed, the Shell and Marathon oil refineries will be the first to reduce usage. The city has asked agricultural customers to conserve water where they can, as well as residents.

Customers also include residents of Anacortes, Oak Harbor, the Naval Air Station at Whidbey Island and the Marathon and Shell oil refineries.

Tesch exhorted “Every effort matters and can stretch the timeline until the shortage is resolved. We appreciate the community of La Conner for doing their part!”

Tips for conserving water include: • Do not water lawns • Do not fill swimming pools • Put off projects that use water, such as power washing • Take shorter showers • Turn off water when brushing teeth • Flush toilets less

See Anacortes’ conservation webpage:.anacortescommunityenergy.org/water-conservation.