小型配水系统中出现大肠菌群的原因是配水管道表面生物膜中的大肠菌群再生，而在水源地下水中未检测到大肠菌群。随着饮用水法规越来越广泛地应用于小型公用事业，一个新出现的担忧领域是安装处理工艺，以满足新实施的标准。经常违反总大肠菌群法规的小型系统通常需要安装消毒系统。由于成本和安全问题，大型系统使用的传统消毒技术对于小型系统来说是不现实的。 本文介绍了一种小型系统的替代消毒方案——混合氧化剂。所述无膜混合氧化剂池从氯化钠盐水中生成混合氧化剂消毒溶液，然后在发生实质性复合之前分离阳极和阴极处生成的溶液。论文还讨论了一项五阶段研究的结果，该研究旨在比较混合氧化剂消毒剂系统对游离氯的杀生效果、生物膜/生物污垢去除、防止生物膜再生、腐蚀相对可能性和总体成本的潜力。

The occurrence of coliform bacteria in small water distribution systems when none have been detected in the source groundwater has been attributed to regrowth by the coliforms in biofilm on the surfaces of the distribution pipes. As drinking water regulations are more widely applied to smaller utilities, an area of emerging concern is the installation of treatment processes to meet the newly imposed standards. Small systems in frequent violation of total coliform regulations are often required to install disinfection systems. Traditional disinfection technologies used by larger systems are unrealistic for small systems due to the costs and safety issues involved. This paper describes an alternative disinfection option for small system--mixed oxidants. The membraneless mixed oxidant cell described generates a mixed oxidant disinfection solution from a sodium chloride brine and then separates the solutions generated at the anode and the cathode before substantial recombination can occur. The paper also discusses the results of a five phase study undertaken to compare the potential of the mixed oxidants disinfectant system against free chlorine for biocidal efficacy, biofilm/biofouling removal, prevention of biofilm regrowth, relative potential of corrosion and overall costs.