Does UV Water Purification Cause Cancer?
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Last Updated: Jan 4, 2023
This page may contain affiliate links. If you buy a product or service through such a link we earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
UV water purification is popular in the US, where the demand for clean water is high.
But, if you’re using this purification technique at home or are considering it, you might wonder about its health implications.
For example, does UV water purification cause cancer? Let’s find out.
Contents
show
Key Takeaways
- There is no evidence that has lined UV water purification to cancer. So, no, UV water purification does not cause cancer.
Does UV Water Purification Cause Cancer?
Although UV light exposure is linked to skin cancer, there is no evidence associating UV water purification with cancer. Ordinarily, UV-C radiation causes severe sunburns and may even harm your eyes, but with UV water purification, there’s no chance of that happening. Since the UV lamp is housed in an enclosed container, you’re protected from direct exposure to the radiation.
Also, the lamps used for UV water treatment are usually low-pressure mercury vapor lamps that emit in the UV range with a maximum of ለ=254 nm. Mercury is unable to escape from the intact lamps, so there’s no chance of mercury poisoning.
UV water purification is approved by the EPA and is both environmentally friendly and safe. Millions of people now use UV purification because of its benefits and safety.
So, no, UV water purification does not cause cancer.
Pros and Cons of UV Water Purification
Let’s see some pros and cons of using a UV water purifier:
Pros
- High-level effectiveness: Under the right conditions, UV purifiers will eliminate up to 99.9999% of microorganisms in water. This is a very high percentage, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find another treatment method that can provide the same results.
- Zero chemicals: UV purifiers do not use any chemicals, so you don’t have to worry about residual chemicals in your water.
- No effect on water taste and odor: Your UV filter will not give your water a funny taste or smell. In fact, your water’s taste and smell will be completely unchanged.
- Energy efficiency: The only component of a UV water purifier that uses energy is the light bulb. There are no extra parts that consume power like pumps. UV bulbs use just about the same level of electricity as regular household bulbs.
- Cost-effective: Besides not using a lot of electricity, UV purifiers also don’t require expensive or frequent maintenance. You’ll only need to replace the bulb every year and the quartz sleeve every 1-2 years.
- Eco-friendliness: UV purifiers do not produce any waste that could harm the environment. They also don’t leave any residues in the water, making them an environmentally-friendly water purification option.
- Straight-forward purification mechanism: A UV filter has no moving parts or complex operation principles. So there’s a lower chance of it breaking down.
- No damage to pipes: Unlike other water purification methods that can damage pipes over time, UV purifiers are completely harmless.
- Quick disinfection: UV water purifiers work immediately. There’s no delay period, and you don’t have to wait to get clean water.
- FDA-approved: UV water purification is FDA-approved, meaning you can trust it to be safe.
Further Reading:
Cons
- They don’t remove contaminants: UV purifiers excel at killing microorganisms in water – but that’s where it ends. They do not remove any other contaminants like sediments or heavy metals. As such, you have to use separate filtration systems to get rid of everything else.
- UV filters don’t improve your water’s taste or smell: UV purifiers are only focused on killing microorganisms in water. They do nothing to change how your water tastes, smells, or looks.
- They need electricity to run: UV bulbs need power to run, so if there’s a sudden power outage, the purifier stops working. So while your water may still run, it won’t get disinfected if the power goes out.
- They can only work with clean water: UV water purifiers depend on the purity of the water they’re working on. Particles in water can affect the effectiveness of the process. Hard water can also leave mineral deposits on the quartz sleeve, causing issues.
- UV-purified water can be warm: The UV bulb emits some heat that can warm up the water. It’s not very noticeable, but if you haven’t used your water in a long time, it might come out a little warmer.
If you have any thoughts about the question, does UV water purification cause cancer, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Gene Fitzgerald
Information provided on BOS is for educational purposes only. The products and services we review may not be right for your individual circumstances.
We adhere to strict editorial guidelines. Rest assured, the opinions expressed have not been provided, reviewed, or otherwise endorsed by our partners – they are unbiased, independent, and the author’s alone. Our licensed experts fact-check all content for accuracy. It is accurate as of the date posted and to the best of our knowledge.