{"id":18004,"date":"2025-11-05T13:57:16","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T12:57:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/chlorate-ion-in-drinking-water-new-regulation-old-challenges-and-the-solutions\/"},"modified":"2025-11-05T13:57:16","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T12:57:16","slug":"chlorate-ion-in-drinking-water-new-regulation-old-challenges-and-the-solutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/en\/chlorate-ion-in-drinking-water-new-regulation-old-challenges-and-the-solutions\/","title":{"rendered":"Chlorate ion in drinking water? New regulation, old challenges, and the solutions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Attention, water utilities! Since July 1, 2024, stricter limits apply to chlorate ion levels in drinking water. But what exactly is the chlorate ion? Why is it a problem? How can its concentration be reduced? And what can a utility or operator do to comply with the new rules?      <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>What is chlorate ion and how does it enter drinking water?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The chlorate ion (ClO\u2083\u207b) is a decomposition byproduct of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), commonly known as bleach. Sodium hypochlorite is widely used for disinfecting drinking water. <\/p>\n<p>The issue begins when:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>bleach is stored for long periods,<\/li>\n<li>kept in warm environments, or<\/li>\n<li>used in high concentrations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These all accelerate decomposition \u2013 increasing chlorate levels in the solution, and ultimately in the water supply.<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-17994 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/drink-water-fountain-2025-03-26-16-40-39-utc-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/drink-water-fountain-2025-03-26-16-40-39-utc-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/drink-water-fountain-2025-03-26-16-40-39-utc-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/drink-water-fountain-2025-03-26-16-40-39-utc-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/drink-water-fountain-2025-03-26-16-40-39-utc-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/drink-water-fountain-2025-03-26-16-40-39-utc-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>New limit: 0.25 mg\/l<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Az iv\u00f3v\u00edz min\u0151s\u00e9gi k\u00f6vetelm\u00e9nyeir\u0151l \u00e9s az ellen\u0151rz\u00e9s rendj\u00e9r\u0151l sz\u00f3l\u00f3 <strong>5\/2023. According to Government Regulation 5\/2023 (I.12.)  <\/strong> on drinking water quality and monitoring requirements, the maximum permissible chlorate ion concentration is <strong>0.25 mg\/l<\/strong>, <strong>2026. mandatory for all water suppliers starting January 12, 2026.<\/strong> This regulation aligns with the provisions of the (EU) 2020\/2184 directive on the quality of water intended for human consumption. <\/p>\n<p>This is especially critical in areas where:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>breakpoint chlorination (high-dose bleach) is used,<\/li>\n<li>ammonium or iron\u2013manganese removal technologies are applied.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Why is chlorate ion a problem?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Accumulation of chlorate in drinking water may pose health risks, particularly for:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>young children,<\/li>\n<li>individuals with kidney disease,<\/li>\n<li>and those with thyroid disorders.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In addition, exceeding the legal limit during regulatory inspections can lead to serious consequences \u2013 fines, reputational damage, or even water supply restrictions.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-17997 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/scientist-analysis-professional-wearing-glasses-an-2025-03-15-03-01-30-utc-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/scientist-analysis-professional-wearing-glasses-an-2025-03-15-03-01-30-utc-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/scientist-analysis-professional-wearing-glasses-an-2025-03-15-03-01-30-utc-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/scientist-analysis-professional-wearing-glasses-an-2025-03-15-03-01-30-utc-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/scientist-analysis-professional-wearing-glasses-an-2025-03-15-03-01-30-utc-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/scientist-analysis-professional-wearing-glasses-an-2025-03-15-03-01-30-utc-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>What can be done? \u2013 Step-by-step solutions <\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong> Optimize storage conditions<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>Reduce the storage time of bleach \u2013 order smaller batches more frequently<\/li>\n<li>Store in a cool, dark place in sealed containers<\/li>\n<li>Use lower-concentration solutions (e.g. 45 g\/l instead of 90 g\/l)<\/li>\n<li>Regularly monitor chlorate ion levels<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li><strong> Technological modifications<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>Switch to chlorine gas disinfection (no chlorate, but high investment and complex permitting)<\/li>\n<li>Use potassium permanganate or ozone as oxidizing agents (they don\u2019t generate chlorate)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li><strong> Innovative solution: on-site chlorine generation<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>On-site systems like our ClearGenX generators produce active chlorine from ordinary salt tablets via electrolysis. These: <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>generate fresh chlorine with no chlorate accumulation<\/li>\n<li>eliminate the need for transporting or storing hazardous chemicals<\/li>\n<li>operate with cloud-based control and SCADA integration<\/li>\n<li>are safer and more cost-effective in the long run<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-17940 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/CGX-1024x768.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/CGX-1024x768.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/CGX-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/CGX-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/CGX-1536x1152.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/CGX-2048x1536.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>In summary: Proactive response is key<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The chlorate ion issue is not an isolated case \u2013 it\u2019s a growing technological and regulatory challenge for many water utilities. The good news? Forward-thinking, practical solutions already exist. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Attention, water utilities! Since July 1, 2024, stricter limits apply to chlorate ion levels in drinking water. But what exactly is the chlorate ion? Why is it a problem? How can its concentration be reduced? And what can a utility or operator do to comply with the new rules? What is chlorate ion and how [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18000,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18004","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18004","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18004"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18004\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18000"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18004"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18004"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euro-clear.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18004"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}