What is ozone primarily used for in the context of water treatment?

Ozone is primarily used as a powerful oxidizing agent in water treatment. Its strong oxidizing properties enable it to effectively remove organic and inorganic contaminants from water, including color, taste, and odor compounds. Additionally, ozone can break down complex pollutants and enhance the effectiveness of the treatment process.

As an oxidizing agent, ozone facilitates the destruction of pathogens and reduces the formation of harmful disinfection by-products that might occur with traditional disinfectants. This makes ozone a valuable component in achieving high water quality standards in both drinking water and wastewater treatment.

While ozone does have some disinfection capabilities, it's primarily its role as an oxidizer that underscores its importance in the water treatment process. Other uses, such as clarifying water or stabilizing pH, are not its primary functions and do not utilize the unique properties of ozone to the same extent.