Aquionics UV Systems Comply with AWWA/IUVA Guidelines for Municipal Water

The American Water Works Association (AWWA) and International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA) working group has released a new communication related to low wavelength, medium pressure disinfection. Current users of Aquionics UV systems have found that their equipment is already in compliance, while other municipalities have selected Aquionics to help them avoid the uncertainty factors to account for low UV wavelengths.

According to the document, state legislators and engineers are now recommending the application of a correction factor for municipal drinking water medium-pressure UV systems to compensate for the effects of wavelengths less than 240nm. Pathogen surrogates used for testing have proven to react differently than actual target pathogens to these low wavelengths. Therefore, previous validation testing and modeling may have overestimated inactivation of harmful target pathogens. While Aquionics systems have always blocked wavelengths less than 240nm with the use of type 240 quartz sleeves, users of similar medium pressure systems not in compliance will be required to re-evaluate system sizing and possibly make costly modifications or purchase new equipment.

Since the Low Wavelength Document was published, Aquionics has won a number of new medium pressure UV system projects where owners are adding UV treatment for disinfection of cryptosporidium and giardia. In the past few months, the communities of Ronan, Montana; Bar Harbor, Seal Harbor and Northeast Harbor (Maine); as well as the Canadian Forces Base Suffield (Alberta, Canada) have purchased InLine+ systems from Aquionics.

The InLine+ is a medium pressure, closed vessel UV disinfection system. It features simple installation and virtually maintenance-free operation with a standard automatic quartz sleeve wiping system, variable power ballast output and 3rd party validations for conformance to USEPA drinking water guidelines, NWRI reuse guidelines and has NSF approval.