Over the past fifty years, water and wastewater disinfection has evolved to a central pillar of public health protection across drinking water, wastewater treatment, and water reuse. From the predominance of chemical disinfectants to the global adoption of ultraviolet disinfection, each major advance has been driven by a combination of scientific discovery, regulatory pressure, operational experience, and societal need.
Siva Sarathy, Senior Director of Research Science at Trojan Technologies, presented this keynote which reflected on five decades of water disinfection through the perspective of an industry leader, highlighting the key technological and conceptual milestones that shaped current practice.
Drawing on historical examples from full‑scale implementation, the presentation examined how (1) early assumptions were tested in practice, how (2) scientific discovery, validation and regulation enabled broader adoption, and how (3) lessons learned helped refine performance expectations and risk management approaches.
Siva connected these historical insights to today’s innovation landscape. As new water treatment technologies emerge, the importance of scientific guardrails has never been greater. Rigorous validation, representative testing conditions, and system‑level thinking remain essential to ensuring that innovation strengthens public confidence.
Learn more about the history of Trojan Technologies.
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