EFFECTS OF WASTEWATER DISINFECTION ON HUMAN HEALTH

Disinfection practices are used to limit human exposure to viable microbial pathogens. Among wastewater systems, it is not always clear that disinfection is a necessary or even beneficial process. The goal of this research is to examine the need for disinfection processes as part of municipal wastewater treatment. Undisinfected effluent samples from several wastewater treatment facilities are collected and subjected to a battery of microbiological and chemical assays. The goal of these tests is to characterize the human health risks posed by disinfected and undisinfected wastewater effluents. The data from these measurements will be used to assess the circumstances under which disinfection should or should not be practiced in wastewater treatment. In circumstances where disinfection is warranted, recommendations will be made as to appropriate process alternatives to consider.