What is the most common disinfection method used in water treatment?

Chlorination is recognized as the most common disinfection method used in water treatment due to its effectiveness, cost efficiency, and ability to provide residual disinfection in the distribution system. Chlorine is a powerful oxidant that kills or inactivates a wide range of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and protozoa.

One of the significant advantages of chlorination is that it leaves a chlorine residual in the water, which helps to maintain disinfection properties throughout the distribution system and protects against recontamination. Additionally, chlorination is relatively simple to implement and can be easily monitored through various testing methods.

Other disinfection methods, while effective, do not offer the same level of residual protection or may involve more complex processes. Ozonation and ultraviolet irradiation are excellent for inactivating microorganisms, but they do not provide lasting disinfection as they do not leave a residual agent in the treated water. Filtration, while essential for removing particulate matter and some microorganisms, does not act as a disinfection method on its own.

Therefore, the widespread use of chlorination in water treatment systems makes it the predominant disinfection method, particularly when considering its practicality and effectiveness in preventing waterborne diseases.