ABSTRACT
T HE final unit process before effluent discharge into a receiving body, disin-fection, has several important objectives (see Figure 19.1). Disinfection's main purpose is to protect public health by reducing the organism population in the wastewater to levels low enough to ensure that pathogenic organisms will not be present in sufficient quantities to cause disease when discharged. Disinfection helps prevent the spread of disease and protects our waters: drinking water supplies, beaches, recreational waters, and shellfish growing areas.
