What is the purpose of disinfection in water treatment?

The primary purpose of disinfection in water treatment is to kill or inactivate pathogenic microorganisms. This is essential for ensuring that the water is safe for human consumption and meets public health standards. By targeting harmful bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens that can cause waterborne diseases, disinfection plays a critical role in protecting public health.

Disinfection methods, such as chlorination, UV treatment, and ozonation, are utilized after the initial treatment processes to provide an additional layer of safety. Effective disinfection helps to significantly reduce the risk of outbreaks of illnesses, ensuring that the treated water is both safe and reliable for drinking and other uses.

The other options, while related to water treatment processes, focus on different aspects. Enhancing water taste pertains to methods such as aeration or the addition of certain minerals, reducing hardness is achieved through methods like ion exchange, and removing sediment involves filtration techniques, none of which address the critical need for pathogen control that disinfection provides.