When Pool City in Cranberry Township sought a waiver from Gov. Tom Wolf's COVID-19-related business-closure order last year, it stressed the importance of its chemical sales to disinfect residential swimming pools and hot tubs.

Within two days, its waiver request was approved.

North of Pool City on Route 19, Alpine Pools requested a waiver for similar reasons, adding its chemicals also disinfect wells and cisterns.

That business received a denial five days later.

The more than 750 Butler County businesses that applied for waivers from Wolf's business-closure order last spring were subjected to many of the same inconsistencies and deficiencies described by the state's chief auditor in his report on the program, according to records received by the Eagle in an open records request.

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