Drastic reduction of trihalomethane concentration
in domestic water supply systems

Summary

Disinfection stage that guarantees the safety of drinking water in epidemiological terms is mandatory in the process of water treatment. One of the main disinfection methods is chlorination with chlorine or hypochlorites. As a result, chlororganics are generated in drinking water. Some representatives of this class of compounds – trihalomethanes pose a danger to human health, producing a carcinogenic, mutagenic effect, and accumulating in the body. In this regard, the sanitary legislation strictly regulates the concentration of these compounds in drinking water, and the standards for them continuously toughen. Reducing the concentration or limiting the generation of trihalomethanes in drinking water has been an urgent task, and for the purpose of solving this task a number of technical methods are proposed. A promising method of water disinfection is presented that provides for almost complete elimination of trihalomethane generation; namely processing water with «Chlorine dioxide and chlorine» disinfectant, obtained in local automated installations of «DH-100» type. As the practice of implementing this method at more than 50 water treatment facilities in Russia and Kazakhstan has shown, the method provides for reducing trihalomethane concentrations, including water supply sources containing bromides, up to their complete elimination, while ensuring complete disinfection and safety of drinking water.

Key words

potable water , disinfection , bioreactor , water treatment , ozone , trihalomethanes , chlororganic compounds , chlorine , chlorine dioxide , preammoniation , hypochlorites , bromides