Disinfection Dawns in the twentieth century

摘要

Disinfection of water by the broad application of disinfectants has only been practiced since the early 1900s. Before general drinking water disinfection was used, outbreaks of cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery, and hepatitis A killed thousands of people each year. Although protecting the public against outbreaks of waterborne disease remains the overarching goal of all disinfection efforts, water systems must also minimize the formation of and potential health risks posed by disinfection by-products. As our profession moves into the twenty-first century, the optimum choice for primary and secondary disinfectants is a site-specific decision that requires careful study and consideration of water quality, operational complexity, and costs.