Characteristics of Disinfection Performance in Water Treatment Plants with Introducing Treatment Technigue Requirement

정수 처리기술 기준 도입을 앞둔 전국 정수장의 소독능 관리 현황 및 특색

Disinfection process in water treatment plants (WTPs) is one of the most important step in order to inactivate waterborne disease. However, what is the necessary disinfection in WTPs was not properly established in Korea. This study was conducted to evaluate disinfection performance in nationwide water treatment plants (n=474). Disinfection requirement based on the SWTR (Surface Water Treatment Rule) of the U.S. (1-log Giardia removal) was chosen in estimating the compliance. The scope of unit process for evaluating disinfection performance includes postdisinfection process in clearwells, pipeline, and storage tank. The worst water quality condition in individual WTPs was applied for the disinfection performance evaluation. The major results are as follows. First, it was appeared that 184 WTPs (39 %) provided insufficient disinfection performance. Disinfection performance was significantly improved during past 2 years. The ratio of the number of WTPs providing insufficient disinfection performance in 1999 and 2001 was 78 % and 41 %, respectively. One of major factors for this improvement was due to the improvement of $T_{10}/T$ value in clearwell, as a result of modification of clearwell facility. Second, if disinfection criteria is 3-log Giardia inactivation at worst water quality condition, then 19 % of all WTPs can not meet this disinfection criteria. And if disinfection criteria is strengthened to 4-log Giardia inactivation, then 58 % of all WTPs can not meet this disinfection criteria. Since disinfection criteria is decided by contamination level of Giardia in source water, it also needs the investigation of Giardia occurrence in source water.