Which is better for you, UV water treatment or chlorine water treatment? While both have their pros and cons, chlorine still seems to be the most popular choice for municipalities across the country. There’s a greater health concern to consider when you add chlorine to the water. Let’s take a closer look at UV vs chlorine disinfection and see which one comes out on top.
It’s a good idea to have your water tested on a regular basis. While chlorine is the most common disinfectant used in public water treatment to destroy disease-causing bacteria, it isn’t always effective. It is quite successful in destroying bacteria, viruses, and other disease-causing microorganisms, but it comes with a cost. Chlorine that is used to disinfect water reacts with other naturally occurring substances to form chemicals known as Trihalomethanes (THMs). Disinfection by-products called THMs that are formed during chlorination have no taste or fragrance and may have detrimental influences on human health.
According to the EPA, there is room for concern that long-term exposure to high levels of THMs might be linked to bladder cancer, as well as indications of an association with colon and rectal cancers. According to the Environmental Research Foundation, several research link moderate to heavy chlorinated water usage during pregnancy with increased miscarriage and birth defect rates.
Why don’t we just stop chlorinating our drinking water, given all of these detrimental health issues linked with chlorine? Without adequate treatment of our water supplies, the dangers from germs would greatly outweigh those from THMs. Waterborne diseases can eventually lead to deadly illnesses, so it’s obvious that water disinfection is critical. Chlorination, on the other hand, isn’t the only way to sanitize water. Ultraviolet disinfection is just as successful without producing any hazardous byproducts.
UV Water Disinfection
The powerful dose of UV radiation (wavelength of 253.7 nanometers) destroys the organisms’ ability to reproduce, causing them to die immediately. Disinfecting water using UV light is highly efficient and safe environmentally. The drinking water purification system destroys 99.99% of disease-causing germs without altering the flavor or odor of the water. It doesn’t add anything to the water and simply ensures that the home is completely disinfected. UV systems are very low maintenance, and a replacement bulb should be changed every year. The energy consumed is equivalent to that used by a 60-watt lightbulb.
UV light is capable of killing microorganisms in water, such as bacteria, viruses, molds, algae, yeast, cryptosporidium, and giardia. As a result, the primary goal of UV treatment is to process water that has not been chlorinated or disinfected with chlorine or other chemicals. For example, bacteria can be eliminated from private wells, rivers, and streams; however other tastes, smells, and pollutants cannot. Heavy metals and other chemical contaminants are commonly treated with additional types of filtering such as reverse osmosis, carbon or sediment filters.
UV vs Chlorine for Water Disinfection
The UV-C lamp is low maintenance, with only an annual bulb replacement required. Chlorine disinfection necessitates continuous use and monitoring.
Because of the fact that UVC rays are completely non-ionizing, they do not result in damaging chlorine gas build-up or toxic byproducts.
Chlorine is a chemical that, when added to water, generates an undesirable by-product. UV has no effect on the water and no by-product.
It is especially useful for potted plants, since it raises the level of UV protection without the use of chemicals. It’s a healthy, ecologically beneficial, and cost-effective method to treat your water. Purified water is more essential than ever before given the increasing number of hazardous pollutants and sources of water pollution.
Conclusion
We hope this article has helped you understand the pros and cons of UV vs chlorine water treatment methods and given you some things to think about as you make your decision.
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