Water passes through a stainless steel chamber containing four low-pressure mercury vapor UV lamps. These lamps emit germicidal UV energy, destroying bacteria and viruses and leaving the water bacteriologically safe. The children's water supply is free of chlorine by-products, employees no longer have to transport and handle dangerous chemicals, and district personnel need only clean the sheath of the unit with a vinegar solution every six months or so. Ozone A Champion Ozonation creates an electric current that is passed in an arc through pure oxygen to convert it to ozone, O 3 . This ozone gas is then bubbled through water to rupture the tough shells around cystforming parasites and deactivate the contents.
Ozone also destroys organic materials and herbicide residues.
Chlorine reacts with organic material to form carcinogenic compounds. Ozone is expensive, but advocates say the pay-off comes in money saved on chemicals and maintenance. Other advantages include safety for workers. Switching to ozone means less handling of dangerous chemicals, including hazardous chlorine gas. The combination of the technologies effectively disinfects turbid water, colored water, even sludge, without using chemicals or leaving residue.