UV LEDs for control of opportunistic pathogens in water

Water supply sustainability demands that communities look toward non-traditional water sources for potable and household water needs. One source of water is stormwater captured as rainwater or surface runoff. However, the behavior of this water as it travels from treatment to household taps has not been well studied and concerns are present over the growth or opportunistic pathogens that could compromise water quality for human consumption and use. UV treatment technology at the point of entry and distributed through a building water system hold promise for controlling microbial growth without the production of disinfection byproducts. This study would serve as an initial proof of concept for the use of UV technology, specifically germicidal UV LEDs in this application, to support a larger research collaboration, possibly funded through an ARC Linkage program proposal.