UV disinfection of water: the need for UV reactor validation

Disinfection by ultraviolet light (UV) has received wide endorsement as an important contribution to the multiple barrier approach for protection of public health. UV can be used both to disinfect wastewater discharged to the environment, and to disinfect that water when it is picked up again for human consumption. UV readily blocks infectivity by such chlorine-resistant pathogens as Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia lamblia and Legionella pneumophila. Multiple disinfectant use is now being discussed to broaden the spectrum of pathogens that can be inactivated by using disinfectants in their most strategically advantageous dose and function. Optimizing multiple barrier strategies requires attention to validation of the concepts and technologies involved. UV technology validation ensures that the equipment can deliver the target UV design dose, and that the monitoring/control technology modulates the dose appropriately with changes in water quality or operating conditions. The bioassay approach for UV reactor validation is recommended over analytical and numerical models. Analytical models, which provide an average dose estimate, have been shown to be inadequate. Numerical models, which utilize Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and UV light intensity models to predict reactor performance, can be accurate when used by skilled professionals but require significant validation and/or calibration against bioassay data.