Though it may sound high-tech and brand-new, using UV light for water purification has been around since around 1877.  Though it was initially used for commercial applications, residential use was bound to happen.  Today, we can find UV systems for almost any home or work application, and we continue to improve and develop more sophisticated ways of utilizing this technology, such as the use of LED lighting!  So, here we are going to talk about UV water purification, what it is, how it works, and is it safe?

What Is UV Water Purification?

 UV water purification is a process that uses ultraviolet light to neutralize microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses to keep them from multiplying in your water.  It is used for drinking water systems primarily, and it is designed with three main parts which are a chamber, a quartz sleeve to hold the lamp, and the UV lamp itself to fill the chamber with UV light.  A controller is also used to power the lamp.  Here are pictures of the first three components.

The Chamber:

The Lamp:

The Quartz Sleeve:

What kind of UV light is used?

That may seem like an odd question, but the UV spectrum has its own range in which purifying light has its own space.  Water treatment systems will run in the 254 nanometer area.  This is also known as UV-C light, which is used to deal with microorganisms.

How Does It Work?

Water is passed through the chamber mentioned before, and as it goes through, the UV light emitting from the lamp does its work.  It attacks the DNA of the organisms, which prevents them from being able to reproduce.  Because they cannot multiply, they are not able to effectively infect you while drinking the water.

Their ability to multiply is what causes your stomach to feel upset.  This is because it is trying to battle the growth of the bacteria and viruses in your digestive system.  When that characteristic of microorganisms is neutralized, they are rendered harmless, giving your stomach the upper hand.

Is UV Water Purification Safe?

Ultraviolet technology leaves no trace of chemicals or other harmful substances behind unlike other methods such as chlorination.  Though the lamps used contain mercury, the lamp keeps it sealed up, and the quartz sleeve encloses the lamp, meaning if the lamp did break, it won't end up in your water.  Also, any worry of UV light exposure is negated by the fact it is inside of the chamber during operation.  If you want an effective, eco-friendly, and easy-to-use method of purification, look no further than UV water treatment!

Conclusion

UV water purification is built with four key components, which are the chamber, lamp, quartz sleeve, and the controller.  These parts come together to break up the DNA of microorganisms so that they cannot reproduce and infect anyone.  This system, because of its simplicity and lack of chemicals, makes this a safe and useful alternative to conventional water disinfection methods. 

If you have any questions, feel free to ask them down below.