The Disinfection Dilemma: DBPs 101

Drinking water disinfection is one of the greatest public health achievements in human history. Before widespread chlorination, waterborne diseases like typhoid and cholera claimed millions of lives. But in 1974, scientists made an unsettling discovery: the same chemical reactions that make our water safe also generate a class of unintended contaminants now known as disinfection byproducts, or DBPs. More than 700 DBPs have since been identified in treated drinking water, yet the US EPA has set regulatory limits for only a subset of them, and the science on which ones actually drive health risk remains actively debated. This webinar provides a foundational overview of what DBPs are, how they form across different disinfection chemistries, what the health evidence shows and where it remains uncertain, and what the current regulatory landscape means for water systems and the public. Whether you work in water quality, public health, or environmental science, or simply want to understand what comes out of your tap, this is your starting point.

Airdate: Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - 1:30 PM ET
 
Length: 60 minutes 

Presenters: Adam Gushgari - Eurofins Environment Testing