There are two main techniques: de-bacterisation with UV-C rays and chlorination.
UV-C lamps in steel combustion chambers emits rays with the right wavelength, similar to the absorption frequencies of the bacteria’s cell walls, to cause their destruction. The key components of all UV systems are the lamp and the ballast, the quartz sleeve to protect the lamp and a disinfection chamber, correctly designed according to the range of the irradiation time and the power of the lamp.
Maintenance consists of annual lamp replacement and quartz cleaning.
However, it should be noted that the system must be carefully monitored over time to prevent bacteria from colonising the pipes again in the event of anomalies or if you forget to replace the exhausted lamp.
Therefore, if you decide to adopt this system, it will be good to disinfect the pipes with chlorine, periodically to ensure safety, and whenever there is a malfunction or switch off of the lamp.
Disinfection with chlorine-based formulations is the safest method and is carried out by means of a dosing pump that delivers the right dosage, according to the flow of water to be treated.
Chemical disinfectants have a shorter or longer coverage power and are thus able to ensure their bactericidal action even in the periods following the dosage.
Using one technology or the other depends on the risk that the water can re-contaminate itself: when consumption occurs close to the treatment or in cases where the pipes are hygienically safe, then the UV-C treatment can be used safely. In other cases, it is preferable to intervene with a disinfectant.
There are also more critical conditions in which both technologies are used together, to ensure potability up to the tap without using excessive doses of chemical disinfectants that would make the water safe but unpleasant to drink.