The urgency caused by the deterioration of traditional water sources have increased interest in advanced water treatment technologies, with increasingly stringent regulations encouraging the use of alternative technologies. Poor water quality, the need to upgrade or replace existing plants, and general aversion to chemical water treatment technologies have made a strong case for novel treatment solutions. Alternatives to chlorine (ozone and UV) have been in the spotlight since the emergence of concerns regarding disinfection by-products (DBPs). In the United States, the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT2ESWTR) and the Stage 2 Disinfection By-Products Rule (Stage 2 DBPR) are major drivers for alternative chlorine disinfection technologies such as UV and ozone. The LT2ESWTR is specific to Cryptosporidium, a pathogen present in most surface water. UV is significantly less capital- and operation-intensive than other cryptosporidium inactivation technologies such as ozone and membranes.
Regulations, especially at the Federal level, are one of the key reasons for the success of advanced water treatment technologies in municipalities. UV is expected to be especially popular among municipalities that must meet treatment credits, but lack sufficient funds to retrofit the entire facility. Adverse public opinion about the quality of tap water has impelled governments to focus on safeguarding their water supplies. Widely covered deadly outbreaks of cryptosporidium in American cities have further enhanced citizens’ awareness and intensified the need for sophisticated treatment equipment. Numerous industries such as pharmaceuticals, life sciences, semi conductors, and food & beverages have raised their demand for high-purity water systems. Most of these industries prefer non-chemical based disinfection methods because residual chemicals in process water could affect the manufacturing process.