Abstract: Air stripping is a common technique used to remove organic impurities from water found in underground aquifers. When this technique is used, bacteria already present in the underground water, and bacteria and oxygen introduced into the water by the incoming air, cause slime deposits to form on the packing material inside the stripping towers. The slime will build up to a point where the pressure drop through the column will increase and the air flow will decrease, which causes the stripping efficiency of the column to drop considerably. In the practice of this invention, the decontaminated water is heated to a temperature of from about 175.degree. F. to 190.degree. F. and recycled through the stripping towers. As the hot water passes through the packing section in each tower, it destroys the slime material and removes it from the packing material.