By Mark Squibb / June 2, 2023
It’s a known fact everything costs more lately, and that includes chlorine as well.
On March 30, Bilroc Industries — the City’s chlorine supplier— said it could no longer supply chlorine at the previously agreed upon price.
“The new chlorine price quoted by Bilroc for 205 litres is $352.60 per unit, which will have an annual increase of $6,673, with a total increase for the remainder of the contract, April to July of 2023, of $2,200,” said councillor Bill Antle.
This is the second price increase since the City awarded Bilroc the contract in 2020, but the recreation and community safety committee recommended accepting it as there was no suitable alternative.
That contract is set to expire on July 31 with an option to extend to July 2024.
The Committee recommended that council go to tender for new pricing in August rather than extend the existing contract.
Councillor Jim Locke, who noted that he supported the motion to approve the price increase, suggested council also investigate an alternative cleaning method that he had heard about at the recent Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Convention.
“One of the communities made mention of a swimming pool, that was an outdoor pool, that was chemical free,” said Locke. “It was naturally filtrated, which I was fascinated with. The water went down through the rocks and the gravel, and they explained the process of how they were able to recycle the water. I just wanted to throw it out there as food for thought, and to maybe take it back to committee. Mount Pearl is known for trying new things and thinking outside the box, and given the annual expenditures for these chemicals, I would be interested in seeing the cost-benefit analysis of this technology that they’re using at this particular community.”
Locke said the option could benefit the City both from a financial and environmental standpoint.
The motion to approve the chlorine price increase passed unanimously.
