A fascinating debate: Should Chicago disinfect its wastewater?
February 16, 2010

A debate is underway about whether Chicago should disinfect its treated wastewater before returning it to the Chicago River. According to the Chicago Tribune, the city is the only major one in the United States that doesn't disinfect its effluent. Considerations about whether to do so now involve calculations of the environmental impact that additional treatment would have -- and the wastewater agency thinks that disinfection would cost more and create more environmental damage than it would solve.

Wastewater disinfection is heavily dependent upon the scale of the treatment system involved. Small plants and systems can disinfect their wastewater safely and easily with options like chlorination tablets and low-flow ultraviolet disinfection units.

February 2010
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last revised February 2010