Ultraviolet Disinfection

Abstract Using ultraviolet (UV) light for drinking water disinfection dates back to 1916 in the U.S. Over the years, UV costs have declined as researchers develop and use new UV methods to disinfect water and wastewater. Currently, several states have developed regulations that allow systems to disinfect their drinking water supplies with UV light. Running a UV light system requires a basic level of operator skill and relatively clean source water. On the down side, however, UV offers no residual disinfection within the distribution system.