The drinking water industry is currently responding to a wave of
new regulations. Disinfection byproduct (DBP) control, microbial
removal, the treatment of inorganic contaminants, security
concerns, and improved analytical methods that detect
potentially harmful contaminants at part-per-trillion levels
create additional demands on the operators of water treatment
plants. At the same time, the wave of regulation is breaking on
the rocks of cost control. Consumers are hesitant to pay more
for their water. These pressing needs have spurred the
development of a number of new water treatment technologies that
may be more effective, less costly or both. While conventional
treatment (coagulation, sedimentation, filtration with chlorine
disinfection) remains the “king of the hill,” other treatments
are gaining popularity. Alternative disinfection strategies are
being used to control DBPs; disposable media have been developed
to treat arsenic; and low-pressure membrane systems improve
microbial removal and filtration