The quality of water resources around the world is noticeably deteriorating. In the industrial and agricultural sectors, toxic substances such as pesticide, hormones and microorganisms are entering the water supply and posing a threat to humans. Disinfecting the water with UV technology has long been an established, safe method used to combat this. The UV light from low or medium-pressure mercury vapour lamps deactivates the germ DNA and reduces the germ count to the maximum amount legally permitted for drinking water. There are no chemicals required here and there are no undesirable or even harmful by-products generated during disinfection. Pathogens that are resistant to chlorine, for example, are also safely killed. The natural taste, smell, colour and pH value of the water remains unaffected by the treatment with UV light.

Over the last ten years in particular, an increasing number of public water distribution companies in Germany have taken the decision to disinfect drinking water using UV equipment, and thus without chemicals. Even among the private suppliers, low-maintenance and user-friendly UV disinfection is currently the preferred choice.

eta plus electronic GmbH, subsidiary of IST METZ GmbH, produces UV lamps that are used for this purpose, appearing in water treatment plants in Basel, Paris and San Francisco. The UV lamps are used to break down pollutants in drinking water, for the disinfection of waste water or ballast water in ships and in industrial water treatment systems.