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1. What happened?

An equipment failure occurred at a chlorine manufacturing facility in Longview, Wash., which impacted supply for the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The facility replaced the failed equipment, and restored production capability at the end of June 2021.

2. Is the water still safe to drink?

Yes. Both the City’s drinking water and wastewater utilities had enough supplies on hand or committed to treat drinking water for at least as long as the timeframe our chlorine supplier projected was needed to resume supply. Everett continues to maintain a stockpile of treatment chemicals, and our drinking water remains safe to drink and use.

3. What is chlorine and how do you use it?

Chlorine is used to disinfect drinking water. As a form of water treatment, chlorination has proven effective against Giardia, bacteria and viruses, and is the most widely used method for disinfecting water supplies in the United States.

4. Was Everett going to run out of chlorine?

All indications were that the chlorine manufacturer was on track to resume production of chlorine products in a timely fashion. We worked with state leaders, as well as our partners throughout the region to find solutions in the event the chlorine supply shortage continued longer than anticipated.

5. Can Everett Water Utility find a different vendor to supply chlorine?

There are currently no other large manufacturers of chlorine in the region.  Everett is working with the Washington State Department of Health and other nearby water utilities to identify other sources of chlorine as well as other treatment options.

6. What can I do?

As of Aug. 27, 2021, chlorine supplies have been restored, and there is no longer a need to reduce water use. As always, we advise our customers to use water wisely.