Versteegh JFMNeele JCleven RFMJ2013-06-131992-11-30Chlorate and chlorite exist in surface water especially in the rivers Meuse and Rhine. The average concentration of chlorite and chlorate in river water varies from 10 - 40 mug/l during the six months monitoring program in 1991/1992. The concentrations are lowered during dune infiltration and after bankfiltration the compounds are eliminated. At the treatment plant supplied with ozone and activated carbon filtration the concentrations do not change that much. When hypochlorite is used for postdisinfection the concentration of chlorate enhances significantly, especially when hypochlorite is used incidently. The average concentrations of chlorite and chlorate in drinking water at several water supplies go up till 40 mug/l. The longterm risks for public health of these levels are not known very well because of the limited toxicological database. Bromate was found in a few samples of various origin at or slightly above the detection limit (6.4 mug/l). In fact these persistent compounds don't belong in drinking water. Discharge of chlorate and chlorite to surface water should be banned if the goal of the government and the water supply association to produce drinking water with a simple technology has to be reached.<br>56 pnl14drinkwateroppervlaktewaterrivierhypochlorietchlorietchloraatbromaatconcentratiegezondheidzuiverenverwijderenmaasrijnionchromatographydrinking watersurface waterrivershypochloritechlorideschloratesbromatesconcentrationhealthpurificationremovalmeuserhineReport2013-06-13