WHAT ARE DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCTS?
Drinking water disinfection has been, and continues to be, one of the most important public health measures of the 20th century, having greatly reduced the threat of waterborne disease in the United States, Canada and other developed countries. Over the past 20 years researchers have been looking at the by-products of reactions between drinking water disinfectants and organic matter that exists naturally in many water sources. Resulting compounds are commonly referred to as disinfection byproducts. Increased media coverage of disinfection by-products, paired with a heightened sense of risk amongst the general public, has caused more people to ask about the safety of the nation’s drinking water. (See related story on Perceptions of Risk). Most often, they look to the nation’s public health community for answers. While the body of science regarding these issues is inconclusive, those responsible for the nation’s public health and the safety of its drinking water must be able to accuratel
