What are the disadvantages of UV light water treatment?

The UV water disinfection process utilizes special UV lamps or bulbs that emit UV light of a particular wavelength. These UV light waves have the ability, based on their length, to disrupt the DNA of microorganisms. These UV light waves are referred to as the Germicidal Spectrum or Frequency, the frequency used in killing micro-organisms is 254 nanometers (nm).

During the UV water disinfection process, as water passes through a UV water treatment system, living organisms in water are exposed to UV light which attacks the genetic code of the microorganism and rearranges the DNA /RNA, eliminating the microorganism's ability to function and reproduce.

If a microorganism can no longer reproduce, it cannot replicate, therefore it cannot infect other organisms with which it has contact. This process of exposing water to UV light is simple, effective, and destroys 99.99% of harmful microorganisms without adding any chemicals to water.

Check out our UV System Buyer's Guide or take our Interactive UV Filter Selection Quiz to help you choose the UV sterilizer that's the right fit for your home or commercial application.

Water filtration is crucial for people around the world, especially those in rural areas who rely on wells to get their water. Though there are many types of filtration systems on the market, one of the more effective methods involves using ultraviolet rays to filter out harmful bacteria. Keep reading to learn about some of the UV water filtration pros in Pisgah Forest, NC, as well as its drawbacks.

Advantages

Since the goal of this post is to teach you about filtering water with UV rays, let’s start with the pros. Here are a couple of reasons why we recommend UV filtration:

• Chemical free: Unlike some other filtration methods out there, like chlorine, UV filtration doesn’t use chemicals to purify your water. As the name implies, UV filtration simply utilizes ultraviolet light to remove microbes.
• Taste and odor free: Using chlorine or other chemicals to filter water can leave an unpleasant taste or smell in the water. Even though those smells or tastes don’t indicate anything is wrong with the water, it’s still not ideal. UV rays don’t leave any smells or tastes behind.
• Energy efficient: Anyone conscious of their carbon footprint or trying to filter their water without wasting a ton of money should consider UV filtration. Though it’s incredibly effective at destroying bacteria, UV filtration only uses about the same amount of energy as a 60-watt lightbulb.
• Low maintenance: One of the biggest UV water filtration pros in Pisgah Forest, NC is that it’s essentially maintenance free. All you have to do is turn on the UV light and forget about it! Just remember to replace the UV lightbulb annually.

Disadvantages

Unfortunately, UV water filtration does have some downsides. These are a few of the reasons why some experts are hesitant to rely solely on ultraviolet rays to filter water:

• Only eliminates microorganisms: The biggest downside of UV filtration is that it is only effective against bacteria and other microorganisms living in our water. Heavy metals, salts and other manmade products will still be present in the water even after it has been treated with UV light. Because of this, you’ll need to employ another method of effective water filtration in Pisgah Forest, NC to eliminate all of the contaminants.
• Only works for clear water: Not all water comes out clear, especially water that needs to be treated. Unfortunately, UV light can’t penetrate and filter water that’s cloudy. If water appears murky or has any floating particles, you’ll need to use another filtration method.
• Needs electricity to operate: Though UV filtration is energy efficient, it does require some electricity to function. So, if your electricity goes out at home, you’ll be stuck high and dry without filtered water. UV also isn’t a viable option for campers or people out in the wilderness who need clean water.

If you’re interested in installing a water filtration system, turn to our team at Royal Water Works, Inc. From UV filtration to reverse osmosis systems, we specialize in all forms of effective water filtration in Pisgah Forest, NC.

Categorised in: UV Water Disinfection, Water Filtration