Cost Effectiveness and Environmental Benefits of Combined Ozonation-UV System for Water Reclamation and Surface Water Discharge

The concept of adding ozone to a tertiary effluent in a combined Ozone-UV system appears to be a suitable process train addressing several wastewater effluent management concerns. Addition of ozone significantly reduces the cost associated with construction and operation of a UV system and eliminates the need for the final effluent reaeration step in situations where effluent dissolved oxygen concentration is regulated. The analysis discussed in this article provides estimates of the costs and benefits of a combined Ozone-UV system. Results show that total costs of a combined Ozone-UV system are comparable with total costs for a comparable treatment process train that includes a UV system and reaeration step to replenish the dissolved oxygen in the final effluent. However, the combined Ozone-UV system has additional treatment benefits, including the removal of emerging contaminants of concern such as EDCs and PPCPs.