Is sodium hypochlorite (SH) the best disinfectant to use?
Our investigations have shown sodium hypochlorite to be effective and have broad applications. We have investigated a number of other disinfectants (calcium hypochlorite, ozone, UV, solar disinfection) and treatment processes (filters, slow sand filtration) and feel that sodium hypochlorite offers the best mix of low cost, ease of use, safety, and effectiveness in areas where there is enough water to drink and water is not excessively turbid. We feel that these characteristics are the reasons why most water treatment systems in the US and Europe have been using chlorine for disinfecting drinking water for nearly 100 years. We do, however, recognize that the other disinfection methods noted above also effectively disinfect water and are useful in a number of settings.
