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An Unmatched Distinction
Author(s) -
Lacey Marcia
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal ‐ american water works association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.466
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1551-8833
pISSN - 0003-150X
DOI - 10.1002/j.1551-8833.2008.tb09735.x
Subject(s) - chlorine dioxide , chlorine , disinfectant , chloramine , lime , water quality , water treatment , ozone , environmental science , political science , environmental engineering , geography , chemistry , meteorology , inorganic chemistry , materials science , ecology , metallurgy , biology , organic chemistry
Disinfection holds an unmatched distinction among water treatment technologies: it has saved countless lives over the past 100 years since chlorine was first applied to water drawn from the Boonton Reservoir in Jersey City, N.J. This momentous application of “chloride of lime” transformed water treatment across the globe. Chlorine has remained the disinfectant of choice, as reported by 68% of the utilities that responded to AWWA's Disinfection Systems Committee survey of disinfection practices. A number of utilities reported having switched to other disinfectants: chloramine ‐ 30%, ozone ‐ 9%, chlorine dioxide ‐ 8%, ultraviolet light ‐ 2%. Part 1 of the committee's two‐part report covers recent changes, current practices, and water quality. Part 2 will be published in the November issue.