An approach for sterilizing microorganisms at a drinking water container employs a flashlamp system including means for generating pulses of light, and for deactivating microorganisms within the drinking water container by illuminating the drinking water container with the pulses of light having been generated; a photo-sensitive detector positioned so as to receive a portion of each of the pulses of light as a measure of an amount of light illuminating the drinking water container, for generating an output signal in response thereto; and a control system, coupled to the flashlamp system and the photo-sensitive detector, for determining, in response to the output signal, whether the pulses of light are sufficient to effect a prescribed level of deactivation of microorganisms in the drinking water container. In accordance with this approach sterilizing microorganisms involves steps of generating a pulse of light; deactivating microorganisms at the drinking water container by directing the pulse of light having been generated at the drinking water container; receiving a portion of the pulse of light as a measure of an amount of the pulse of light illuminating the drinking water container; generating an output signal in response to the receiving of the portion of the pulse of light; and determining, in response to the generating of the output signal, whether the pulse of light is sufficient to effect a prescribed level of deactivation of microorganisms in the drinking water container.
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