Disinfection of Drinking Water and Trihalomethanes

Abstract

Best known by-products of chlorination of drinking water are trihalomethanes (THMs) which can have negative effects on human health. The research goals in this paper were to emphasise the importance of THMs as by-products of disinfecting drinking water, to show the practice of controlling the THMs in drinking water on the example of three water supply systems in the Republic of Srpska and to propose measures for reducing formation of THMs in drinking water. The results have shown that values of THMs in drinking water in these three water supply systems were within the reference values, but the level of the proscribed control is significantly below the minimal requirements.