Chlorination

Chlorination disinfects water by adding chlorine or chlorine compounds that inactivate microorganisms. It can leave a measurable disinfectant residual that continues protecting water in pipes and storage.

Hypochlorous acid: A weak acid and powerful disinfectant formed when chlorine dissolves in water. It is the principal active disinfectant species in many chlorinated waters.
Drinking water treatment: Processes that make source water safe and suitable for drinking. Chlorination is commonly used as a final disinfection step in municipal treatment.
Chloramination: Water disinfection using chloramines formed from chlorine and ammonia. It provides a longer-lasting residual than free chlorine but generally inactivates microbes more slowly.
Waterborne disease: Illness caused by pathogens transmitted through contaminated water. Disinfection with chlorine sharply reduces the risk of many waterborne infections.
John Snow: A British physician known for investigating cholera transmission in nineteenth-century London. His work helped establish water as a route of cholera transmission, strengthening the case for safer supplies.
Chlorine demand: The amount of chlorine consumed by substances in water before a residual remains. Natural and added substances consume chlorine before disinfection is complete.
Wastewater disinfection: Treatment that reduces infectious microorganisms in wastewater before discharge or reuse. Chlorine can disinfect effluent, though residuals may need removal before release.
Ozonation: Water treatment that uses ozone gas to oxidize contaminants and inactivate microorganisms. Ozone is a strong disinfectant but does not provide the persistent pipe-network residual chlorine can.
Chlorination byproducts: Chemical compounds formed when chlorine reacts with natural or human-made substances in water. Their formation is a key trade-off managed through source-water and treatment controls.
Jersey City chlorination case: A 1908 United States court case that upheld Jersey City's adoption of water chlorination. The case became an early legal milestone in municipal chlorination.

Linked from 25 pages