Safety Issues in Conventional and Emerging Disinfection System

The Clean Water Act (1972 and 1977) established the basis for regulating pollutant discharges into the waters of the United States. This Act contains many provisions regulating pollutant discharges and surface water quality in the United States. This act has also been modified by numerous revisions and amendments since it was enacted in 1972. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program (authorized by the Clean Water Act) regulates point sources that discharge pollutants into waters of the United States in an effort to control water pollution.Disinfection of either treated sanitary wastewater or stormwater (through CSOs) is a key unit process used by the wastewater treatment industry to meet NPDES microbiological permit requirements and protect the receiving water (and downstream drinking water treatment plant intakes).This paper will highlight safety issues and sustainability concerns associated with conventional and emerging disinfection systems used in wastewater collection and treatment systems. Disinfection systems to be discussed in this presentation include, chlorine gas, bulk manufactured sodium hypochlorite, on-site sodium hypochlorite generation systems, UV radiation, ozone, and emerging disinfection processes (e.g., peracetic acid, bromine, peroxone, ozone + UV, peroxone + UV and hydrogen peroxide + metal catalyst + UV).