Ultraviolet Disinfection in Municipal Water & Wastewater

The citizens in your community count on you to ensure that the water they drink is safe and the wastewater produced is treated effectively without issues that can cause environmental damage. Ensuring that your water and wastewater are free of contaminants and infectious agents is a must. Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection treatment has a wealth of benefits for municipal water and wastewater systems.

UV Disinfection Services for Municipal Water & Wastewater

Traditionally, the answer was to increase chlorine levels to increase disinfection power. However, allowable chlorine levels have been lowered as well due to concerns about discharging potentially dangerous chlorinated organic compounds. 

These competing pressures can make it hard to reach the right balance. UV disinfection is an alternative that allows you to keep water clean and safe without worrying about excessive levels of chlorine-based disinfectants. In municipal water treatment, UV disinfection is typically the final step in a multi-stage treatment process to remove any remaining protozoa, bacteria, viruses, or other pathogens that may have a negative impact on public health.

Ultraviolet light has been proven to destroy the reproductive capabilities of pathogens by damaging their RNA and DNA, effectively rendering microbes inactive and harmless. UV disinfection uses a wavelength between 250 and 270 nm for optimal disinfection. By configuring the system to provide the correct dose time, intensity, and configuration, water management officials can disable harmful pathogens without having to worry about excessive amounts of chlorine in the water.

These systems typically use mercury arc lamps or amalgam lamps alongside a reactor, ballasts, and a control system. Together, they safely purify water without harmful chemicals.

Benefits of UV Disinfection for Municipal and Wastewater

UV disinfection stands in stark contrast to other options like chlorine and chloramines. Citizens will often complain about the taste of both chlorine and chloramines in water. Additionally, some worry about the safety of chloramines for applications like home aquariums. UV disinfection offers a variety of benefits, including:

• No toxicity. UV disinfection uses light to eliminate bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and other pathogens. This process adds nothing to the water and doesn’t impact the chemical composition, therefore leaving no by-products in the water that would otherwise have serious effects on public health.   
• Eco-friendliness. Ultraviolet disinfection provides a significantly more sustainable option than chemical disinfection. There is no chemical discharge to worry about, allowing you to keep levels of chlorine well within allowable concentrations.
• Affordability. UV disinfection systems are highly cost-effective and pay for themselves over time. Once the system is in place, it can run reliably with minimal maintenance for many years. 
• Efficiency. This system works both rapidly and effectively. This means that even high-volume municipal water and wastewater systems can still operate cleanly and safely. 
• Effectiveness. Since a number of protozoa are chlorine-resistant, UV is the far safer and more effective choice. 

UV Disinfection Solutions From Reynolds Culligan

The safety of the water and the environment within your community are of vital importance. Safeguarding your municipal water supply while keeping costs in line can require a delicate balance. UV disinfection provides a solution that can keep your water safer with minimal yearly maintenance for many years.

Reynolds Culligan is the only industrial and commercial water treatment service in the Mid-Atlantic region that provides a comprehensive water treatment technology platform. We bring over 70 years of municipal water and wastewater experience to every client. 

We want to help you provide the best disinfection solutions available in the community that you serve. Please contact us to discuss disinfection options, or allow us to provide a free estimate.