A UV light water treatment system allows water to flow around a UV lamp,
inactivating bacterial cells.
Just like rays from the sun,
this concentrated UV light can be dangerous,
so the system includes a protective case.
The UV radiation will not have a residual impact on the water.
Ultraviolet, or UV light, uses radiation to disinfect.
As water passes through a tube, it’s exposed to ultraviolet light.
When water is exposed to light for enough time,
microbes in the water are exposed to UV radiation.
This changes the DNA of microbial cells, killing them.
Because cells have to be exposed to enough light,
it’s important to control flow rate
and make sure all water is exposed for enough time.
If water flows too quickly, UV light can’t disinfect it.
If water is too dirty or turbid,
the UV light won't be able to pass through to work properly.
Many UV systems will have an option to include a sensor that monitors how much
UV light is passing through the water.
This is an important feature
and should be included in any treatment system
to verify the water is not too dirty for effective treatment.
If the system is not self-cleaning,
clean the quartz glass tube regularly.
UV light systems don’t require a lot of maintenance,
but it is critical that this glass tube is clean,
or the light won’t reach the water properly.
It can be hard to know if this tube is clean enough.
This is another reason why systems with added UV sensors
are highly recommended for monitoring.
You validate the system when it is initially installed.
Be sure to check water flow rates
so that water is not moving too fast.
And also check the cloudiness or turbidity of the water
to make sure the UV light will be effective.
Every time the system is operated, you will need to monitor it.
You will want to make sure that the UV sensor is
detecting adequate UV intensity through the water.
This criteria will be established by the system manufacturer
and is one reason why a sensor is important.
Check to make sure the lamp is powered on,
and that the flow rate is set appropriately.
Verify that your system is working as expected.
Observe the employee monitoring the system,
calibrate the UV sensor per manufacturer recommendations,
collect water samples,
send them to the lab for microbiological analysis,
and review and document the results that the lab passes along. Note this is the last line of the file.