UV technology can be more effective than chemicals in destroying certain waterborne contaminants without altering the taste of the water. This makes it a practical process for treating water that is used for drinking and food preparation.

UV light disinfects by penetrating microorganisms and disrupting their DNA, preventing them from multiplying. The only function of a microorganism is to breed and produce colonies this is why when we ingest microorganisms they make us sick. These organisms get into our intestinal system, begin to breed and produce colonies which cause our bodies to react trying to get rid of this invasion. This is the reason why bacteriological contamination is almost always associated with occurrences of diarrhea. A microorganism which cannot breed is of no concern.