Overview

Water chlorination is a widely used water treatment process that involves adding chlorine or chlorine compounds to water to disinfect and eliminate harmful microorganisms.

Purpose

The main goal of chlorination is to kill bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens to make water safe for drinking, irrigation, and industrial use.

Process

Chlorine is added to water in controlled amounts, where it reacts to form hypochlorous acid and other compounds that destroy microbial cell walls and deactivate pathogens.

Types of Chlorination

• Continuous Chlorination: Constant dosing of chlorine for ongoing disinfection.

• Shock Chlorination: High doses applied occasionally to eliminate persistent contaminants.

• Chloramination: Combination of chlorine and ammonia to form chloramines for longer-lasting disinfection.

Advantages

• Effective against a broad range of pathogens.

• Provides residual disinfectant protection in distribution systems.

• Cost-effective and relatively easy to implement.

Safety Considerations

Proper dosing is essential to avoid harmful by-products and ensure safe chlorine levels in treated water. Monitoring and regulation are important to maintain water quality standards