Until now, Tennessee state regulators have not required the city to disinfect its wastewater because it empties into the vast Mississippi River in a stretch where previously there was little recreation, The Memphis Commercial Appeal reported Sunday.

But growing recreational activity on the river south of the Stiles Wastewater Treatment Facility -- including swimming and kayaking -- has led the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to reconsider.

A Memphis city study found nearly all E. coli could be eliminated from its wastewater by adding a small amount of bleach.

The solution is not without hazards, however, the newspaper said. Chlorine-based disinfectants can cause trihalomethanes -- cancer-causing compounds -- to form, which could affect downstream drinking water.

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