RCAC: Once More into the Bleach: Handling & Application of Sodium Hypochlorite

Description: Chlorine is the most commonly used drinking water disinfectant in all regions of the world. Today, about 98 percent of U.S. water treatment systems use some type of chlorine disinfection process to help provide safe drinking water. By a huge margin, sodium hypochlorite is the disinfectant used by the vast majority of small (less than 10,000 population) water systems. Hypochlorite is also the most hazardous chemical used by most of these water systems. If improperly handled, sodium hypochlorite can create a hazardous and potentially fatal environment.

This learning event gives small water system operators the knowledge, skills and resources necessary to safely handle and reliably feed sodium hypochlorite. 

Participants will learn:

• The physical and chemical properties of sodium hypochlorite
• Safe handling of sodium hypochlorite
• Understanding hypochlorite decay and its effect on treatment
• How to read and use the sodium hypochlorite SDS
• The origins of germ theory and history of chemical disinfection
• Basic mechanisms of chemical disinfection
• 20 best practices for feeding hypochlorite
• The operation of hypochlorite feed pumps

The recommended audience includes all water system operators that us hypochlorite.