Potable Water Disinfection
Technical Profile
The objective of this process is to provide a level of biological control that will ensure organisms will not cause adverse effects when water is used for human consumption.
Disinfection can be accomplished through chlorination, ultra-violet (UV) sterilization, ozone or other methods. Chlorine is an effective and well understood disinfectant and can be supplied through a sodium hypochlorite solution. Generation of sodium hypochlorite is described under Seawater Disinfection.
UV sterilization is an effective method of disinfection. UV radiation is a form of physical disinfection. It penetrates the cell wall of microorganisms and destroys the organism's ability to reproduce. Its effectiveness depends on the amount of radiation and exposure time.
Ozone is also used for disinfection. It is a strong oxidizer, and is more effective at destroying bacteria and viruses than chlorine. However, an ozone generator is relatively expensive. Its effectiveness depends on ozone concentration, contact time and the susceptibility of target microorganisms.
