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With summer upon us and droughts affecting regions across the globe, the search for sustainable sources of clean water has never been more urgent. Currently, 300 million people rely on desalinated water, a number expected to double by 2040.
In this issue of H2O Global News, we explore the critical role desalination plays in addressing global water scarcity by featuring insights from the experts and spotlighting groundbreaking projects worldwide.
We had the privilege of interviewing Robert Bergstrom from Oceanwell, who sheds light on the challenges posed by climate change, ongoing water shortages, and the increasing demands from industry, agriculture, and households. Don’t miss his full feature on page 11
Also in this edition:
Turning Sunlight Into Safe Water Without Harming the Planet by Alexei Levene, Co-Founder & Chief Growth Officer at Desolenator. How Sidon Water is Transforming Desalination Efficiency.
Powering the Hydrogen Economy with Purified Water, brought to you by the Net Zero Technology Centre.
And so much more.
We’re also excited to introduce a brand-new segment, World of Water. This regular feature will showcase in-depth case studies, company profiles, and the latest updates in environmental and product news.
Finally, a heartfelt thank you to our readers and the growing H2O Global News community for your continued support.
Happy reading!
Abby Davey Publisher and Co-Founder
Publisher and Co-Founder
Abby Davey abby@h2oglobalnews.com
Creative Director and Co-Founder
Louise Davey louise@h2oglobalnews.com
Editorial Team
Darby Bonner darby@h2oglobalnews.com
Martyn Shuttleworth martyn@h2oglobalnews.com
Natasha Posnett natasha@h2oglobalnews.com
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H2O Global News delivers news from around the world covering the Drinking/Potable Water, Hydropower and Wastewater industries incorporating technology, companies, legislation, the environment and case studies. The H2O Global News Magazine is published four times a year (Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter) by Blue Manta Media Limited, Buckinghamshire, England, UK.
H2O Global News t/a Blue Manta Media Limited has used utmost care to ensure and maintain the accuracy, completeness and currency of information published on this site. We, however, take no responsibility for any errors or omission, though if notified of any we will endeavour to rectify such.
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4-9 Editor Features
10-13 Offshore Water Harvesting: How OceanWell is Rethinking Desalination
14-15 Desolenator: Turning Sunlight Into Safe Water Without Harming The Planet
16-17 How Sidon Water Is Transforming Desalination Efficiency
18-19 Desalination For Decarbonisation: Powering the Hydrogen Economy with Purified Water
20-23 Desalination and Water Conflict: Lessons from Yemen with Bouran Mohammed
24-25 Mapping Chile’s Water Future: GIS and Environmental Management for a Sustainable Desalination Development
26-27 Engineering Efficiency: How The PX Q400 Is Shaping The Next Generation Of Desalination
WRITTEN BY | DARBY BONNER
Every day in the clear blue waters of the Maldives, Seawater flows into specialised facilities and is transformed into fresh water, sustaining entire populations. As water shortages escalate worldwide, countries like the Maldives, Malta, and the Bahamas have turned to the ocean to meet their water needs, relying heavily on desalination.
As water shortages become more frequent worldwide, this ocean-to-tap solution shows both advances in water technology systems and our duty to protect the marine ecosystems that make it all possible.
The figures tell a worrying story about our planet’s water situation. Whilst oceans cover 70 per cent of Earth’s surface, fresh water makes up just 2.5 per cent of all water resources
According to UNICEF, at least four billion people currently face water shortages once a month each year, and this number is expected to rise as population growth, urbanisation, and climate change increase demand whilst reducing supplies. Against this backdrop, desalination has become a crucial lifeline, with global capacity jumping from 5 million cubic metres per day in 1980 to 90 million cubic metres by 2020
As of 2023, over 22,000 desalination plants operate worldwide, producing fresh water for over 300 million individuals. Countries like Saudi Arabia get approximately 50% of their drinking water from desalination, whilst nations such as the United Arab Emirates, Israel, and Australia have made this technology central to their water security plans.
However, this liquid lifeline comes with a hidden environmental cost. For every litre of clean drinking water produced, desalination plants typically create 1.5 litres of toxic brine loaded with chlorine, copper, and concentrated salts. When this highly salty wastewater goes back into the ocean, it creates underwater dead zones where marine life struggles to survive.
“Increased salinity and temperature can cause a decrease in the dissolved oxygen content, resulting in conditions called hypoxia,” explains Manzoor Qadir, Assistant Director of the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health. This oxygen loss ripples through marine food chains, affecting everything from bottom-dwelling creatures to the fish that depend on them.
The scale of this challenge is enormous. Current estimates suggest global brine production reaches 142 million cubic metres daily, 50% higher than previously calculated. If left unmanaged, this toxic waste stream threatens to contaminate coastal ecosystems that billions of people rely on for food and livelihoods.
Across the globe, engineers and environmental scientists are developing innovative solutions that aim to make desalination a more sustainable and environmentally responsible technology.
Energy efficiency represents one crucial area. Modern seawater reverse osmosis plants now use advanced membranes and energy recovery devices that dramatically cut power consumption. Regions with abundant sunlight, often the same places where desalination is most needed, integrating solar power provides a promising route to carbon-neutral water production. By integrating solarpowered desalination plants, we could reduce CO2 emissions by 10 kg per 1 m³ of freshwater produced, and reduce human toxicity impacts.
Brine management breakthroughs are equally promising. Rather than seeing concentrated saltwater as waste, researchers are developing technologies to extract valuable products. UN researchers have mentioned that commercial salt production, metal recovery, and even fish farming applications could transform brine from problem to opportunity, creating benefits for the circular economy, industry and environment.
The most direct environmental impact happens at seawater intakes, where marine life is at risk. Larger species can become trapped on intake screens, while smaller organisms (such as plankton communities, fish larvae, and benthic organisms) are swept into the facility with the incoming seawater, affecting surrounding ecosystems and food webs.
Forward-thinking companies are tackling these challenges directly. Seven Seas Water Group’s approach shows best practice, using low-velocity pumps and protective netting around underwater intakes. In Trinidad, their Point Fortin facility serves 29,000 residents whilst running comprehensive environmental monitoring programmes that track ecosystem health.
Subsurface intake systems in desalination plants, which source seawater from beneath the ocean floor, use natural
filtration to minimise the impact on marine life and improve water quality. This approach highlights how technological innovation can align with environmental responsibility.
The way forward requires balancing immediate water needs with long-term ecosystem health. The United Nations Environment Assembly has recognised this challenge, adopting resolutions that call for better protection of coastal and marine ecosystems from landbased activities, including desalination operations. Examples like Trinidad’s Point Fortin plant show that sustainable desalination is possible. With thorough environmental impact assessments, carefully designed intake systems, and continuous ecosystem monitoring, these facilities prove that water security and environmental protection can go hand in hand.
As we face growing water demand and environmental responsibility, desalination offers both a solution and a challenge. The same oceans that absorb 30% of atmospheric carbon dioxide and 90% of climate change heat can also provide the fresh water humanity desperately needs.
The question isn’t whether we should pursue desalination, but how to do it responsibly. With 80% of global wastewater still flowing untreated into our waterways, the need for sustainable water management is clear. By investing in energy-efficient technologies, effective brine management, and marine-friendly intake systems, desalination companies can help address water scarcity without adding further pressure to ocean ecosystems.
WRITTEN BY | NATASHA POSNETT
More than 300 million people worldwide rely on desalinated water every day and that number is expected to double by 2040.
We’re living in a time of big challenges- climate change, booming populations, rapid urban growth- and finding enough clean water is also high on the list. Desalination has stepped in as a powerful solution, turning seawater into drinkable water and offering hope to regions struggling with water scarcity. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Israel, Australia and the UAE have already embraced large-scale desalination to meet growing demands.
But as we tap into the ocean for help, we also have a responsibility to protect it. Desalination, while incredibly useful, produces brine waste that can harm marine ecosystems if not carefully managed. As the world leans more on this technology, it’s crucial that we balance our need for freshwater with a strong commitment to ocean conservation and environmental care.
There are two main types of desalination processes: thermal distillation (used predominantly in energy-rich regions like the Middle East) and membrane-based reverse osmosis (RO), which is more common worldwide due to its lower energy requirements. Both methods, however, generate a significant by-product: brine. This is a highly concentrated salt solution that also contains trace metals, chemicals and cleaning agents.
For every litre of freshwater produced, about 1.5 litres of brine are typically generated. According to a 2019 United Nations University report, the world’s desalination plants produce over 142 million cubic meters of brine every day, a
volume that poses a major environmental management challenge.
Brine is often discharged back into the ocean or into nearby water bodies. However, its salinity levels can be almost double that of natural seawater. This creates a salinity shock in the surrounding marine environment, which can severely disrupt the osmoregulatory processes of marine organisms. Plankton, larvae and benthic creatures are particularly sensitive to changes in salinity.
In thermal desalination, the brine is often returned to the sea at elevated temperatures. This thermal pollution further compounds the stress on marine organisms. Warmer water holds less dissolved oxygen, which can create hypoxic conditions detrimental to aquatic life.
Brine is not just salty water, it also contains anti-scaling agents, antifoaming chemicals, chlorine, coagulants and cleaning compounds used during the desalination process. While these are added in controlled quantities, their accumulation in localised discharge zones can have toxic effects, disrupting metabolic and reproductive functions in marine species.
The placement and operation of desalination plants can physically disrupt coastal ecosystems. The intake of seawater often entrains and kills small marine organisms,
including fish eggs, larvae and plankton. This reduction at the base of the food chain can reverberate across trophic levels, impacting fish populations and the species that rely on them.
The construction of intake and outfall structures also causes habitat degradation, especially in sensitive areas like coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass beds. Sediment plumes created during construction can smother marine habitats, while noise and light pollution can disturb migratory species and nesting behaviours.
Despite these environmental drawbacks, desalination can be made more sustainable through improved technology, regulatory oversight and ecological planning. Several companies are already working in this vital area and providing new approaches to brine management and ecosystem protection.
One of the most novel approaches comes from Partanna Global, a company that transforms desalination brine into a climate-positive construction material. Their process not only reduces the need to dispose of brine into the ocean but also captures carbon dioxide in the process, creating a double environmental benefit. By converting brine into usable building products, Partanna offers a circular solution that tackles both marine pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
Israel-based IDE Technologies has developed a Desalination Brine Mining (DBM) process that captures valuable minerals such as lithium and magnesium from brine waste. This resource recovery model reduces the volume of brine discharged and creates economic incentives for sustainable operation. IDE also promotes a Sustainable Desalination Process (SDP) that uses seawater-derived chemicals instead of externally produced ones, helping desalination plants approach carbon neutrality.
SEALEAU is another key player addressing the
environmental footprint of desalination. Their circular desalination systems recover high-purity salts and produce three times more freshwater compared to traditional models. This closed-loop process not only reduces environmental harm but also enhances efficiency and minimises waste. SEALEAU’s work exemplifies the shift from linear water treatment systems to more sustainable, regenerative technologies.
Modern plants are also using multi-port diffusers at outfall locations to enhance the mixing of brine with seawater. This dilutes salinity levels before the brine settles on the ocean floor, reducing the intensity of ecological disturbances.
In landlocked regions or areas where ocean disposal isn’t feasible, evaporation ponds, deep-well injection and brine crystallisation are being used. Each comes with its own environmental and logistical challenges, but when managed well, they can minimise marine impact.
Excitingly, there is growing interest in turning brine into a resource rather than waste. Recovery of valuable minerals and salts (such as lithium, magnesium or gypsum) from brine could create secondary revenue streams and reduce disposal volumes. This form of circular economy thinking is still in early stages but holds significant potential.
Desalination represents a powerful tool in the global response to water scarcity. However, its environmental costs cannot be overlooked. As desalination becomes more widespread, the focus must shift from simply increasing freshwater output to doing so in a way that protects the delicate balance of coastal and marine environments.
Technological innovation, like that pioneered by companies such as Partanna Global, IDE Technologies and SEALEAU, combined with stringent regulation and environmental stewardship, will be key to ensuring that desalination fulfils its promise as a sustainable solution to the water crisis, without becoming a source of ecological degradation. Our oceans already face enough challenges and don’t need to have yet another stressor impacting their valuable ecosystems!
Written By | MARTYN SHUTTLEWORTH
With droughts becoming more common in parts of the UK, some water utilities see desalination as a way to meet growing demand. However, desalination can bring environmental and social costs through concentrated brine waste and the impact on tourism. As is often the case, solving a wider environmental issue can simply replace one problem with another, creating friction between water companies and surrounding communities.
Debates soon become bitter and polarised with strong opinions spreading across the media fuelled by fiery language and stereotypes. One side is portrayed as the evil corporation set on destroying the environment for profit while the other is a small and selfish group of NIMBYs blocking progress intended to help wider society. Of course, these stereotypes are invariably unfair and both sides make perfectly valid points arising from different perspectives.
One example of such an intense environmental debate is happening in the beautiful county of Cornwall. Here, a proposed new desalination plant has provoked a pitched battle between South West Water and determined groups of local activists
In Cornwall, a combination of climate change, increasing demand, and aging infrastructure create water shortages during the summer, with reservoirs often depleted and hosepipe bans common. Under pressure from public and government, South West Water turned to desalination, a technology it already uses on the Isles of Scilly. When used alongside measures such as water efficiency measures and updating infrastructure, this could make their system more climate-independent and resilient to droughts
The utility intends to set up a desalination plant in Cornwall that will, in its second phase, produce 20 million litres of water every day. In this context, climateindependent facilities that don’t rely on rainfall make perfect sense.
After looking for a location, South West Water settled on Par, on St Austell Bay, a beautiful area popular with Cornwall’s many tourists. The utility feels it is a prime location because it is close to the existing Restormel Water Treatment Works, requiring only a 13km pipeline, and is near a harbour and industrial zone. With this, the
utility could provide water for up to 300,000 people, meeting approximately a third of the region’s demand and helping to protect rivers from overextraction.
However, at the local level, the context changes and the proposed desalination plant has seen fierce local resistance from local communities and environmental organisations. They pointed to the many environmental and social concerns, such as the concentrated brine produced by desalination and also the effects of building facilities and pipelines on the surrounding area.
St Austell Bay contains some important marine habitats, including some of the most extensive seagrass beds in the UK, which support many important ecosystems and landmark species including cuttlefish and rare seahorses. The bay is also home to maerl beds, a rare type of calcified pink algae and, together, these ecosystems are a significant carbon sink. The environment provides a haven for wildlife and is crucial to a local economy based upon tourism and fishing. Despite this, the bay has few restrictions on activity, something that groups like Friends of Par Beach, Desalination Information Group, and Cornwall Wildlife Trust, alongside the local MP, set out to change.
Once the county council raised few objections to the desalination plant, the application for test drilling passed to the UK’s Marine Management Organisation (MMO). Stating that the environmental impact information was incomplete, they turned down the application. They have asked for new studies that look at the entire surrounding environment and not just the marine areas, bringing a temporary lull in the debate.
Now, the battle will continue via the legal system and through public opinion. South West Water argues that it needs this project to provide sufficient water and prevent hosepipe bans and low river levels, while environmental groups argue that repairing infrastructure and reducing water leakage are better ways of solving the chronic water shortage. SWW is planning to resubmit after consultation, so this debate is set to run over the coming years
The intense and impassioned debate in this part of Cornwall captures the paradox of developing solutions that are environmentally positive on a national scale yet can cause problems at a local level, stirring up the eternal divide between the philosophies of ‘the greater good’ and ‘localism.’ How do we balance the two and help countries reach their environmental goals while balancing the needs of local communities seeking to preserve their way of life?
It is difficult to predict what will happen with this particular plant but, while it is often tempting to see these debates as destructive, they can sometimes lead to compromises and new technologies or plans more sensitive to the local environment. Importantly, when it comes to desalination, this debate will play out around the world, perhaps reflecting the need for new approaches to desalination and a better integration of the international, national, and local.
Pink Maerl: https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/24577746 - © elegaer - under Creative Commons 4.0
Written By | MARTYN SHUTTLEWORTH
Th e long coast of California contains some of the most beautiful marine areas in the world, supporting thriving fishing and recreation industries that bring in tourists from across the world. However, in the face of climate change, the state is experiencing water shortages and struggles to meet the increasing demands from industry, agriculture, and homes.
In a context of political squabbling over water resources, California needs to increase its water supplies. Desalination is often viewed as a critical solution, but legacy onshore plants can create their own environmental issues and cause friction between different groups. To try and address these problems, moving the process offshore is an interesting alternative that could change the way we use desalination worldwide. OceanWell, a California-based water technology company, is offering a new approach: subsea water harvesting.
To delve further into this new approach, we talked to OceanWell CEO Robert Bergstrom about why desalination is important, the problems it can cause, and how an offshore approach could resolve many of these issues. Robert is a veteran of the water industry and has a long history of working with desalination technology:
“I’ve worked in the water industry for more than 25 years. In 1997, I founded Seven Seas Water, a desalination company now owned by EQT, and led the business for ten years. I retired in 2012, but retirement didn’t last long. I became fascinated by the potential of subsea reverse osmosis technology and founded OceanWell to pursue a more sustainable and scalable approach to getting drinking water from the ocean in a process we call water harvesting. At OceanWell, I’ve drawn on decades of experience delivering affordable, reliable water to solve the next generation of water challenges: making clean water harvesting safer for the environment and built for a global scale.”
Across the world, water resources are under extreme pressure due to growing populations and increased demand from industry, especially the hi-tech sector. The availability of water is also very vulnerable to changing climate patterns, a trend that Robert fully understands:
“Water scarcity is no longer a future threat – it’s a present-day emergency. Climate change, population growth, and expanding industrial demand are putting immense pressure on freshwater access. Nearly half of the global population faces severe water shortages, and by 2050, 46% of global GDP will be concentrated in high water-risk regions.”
One problem, almost unique to water, is its status as a commodity because it is essential for life, so governments are wary of charging too much for the resource. On the other side, this means that water is often wasted and the relatively low revenue leaves little money for the expensive long-term investments needed.
“Water remains one of the most undervalued resources on earth. That lack of valuation discourages the necessary investments to ensure long-term security. A report we published with Boston Consulting Group, What is Water Really Worth?, found that failing to invest in water infrastructure could cause societal costs of up to $10 trillion.”
While the use of onshore desalination to overcome water shortages is well-understood, there are a few issues that prevent it from becoming the ‘magic bullet’ that can solve all water crises. Sometimes, addressing a particular problem can actually create bigger problems elsewhere, with desalination sometimes falling into that category. Robert highlights the problems if desalination is implemented without the correct infrastructure and without careful consideration of the environmental impacts such as brine pollution and high energy usage:
“Desalination is one of the few proven ways to create a new, drought-proof source of freshwater, but the infrastructure must evolve. Though desalination efforts have produced approximately twenty-six billion gallons of freshwater daily since 2022, legacy plants are energy intensive, requiring powerful pumps to force water molecules through specialized
membranes, their intakes damage sea life, and they generate concentrated brine waste. These environmental issues have limited the growth of legacy desalination, yet the world desperately needs more water. That’s why OceanWell’s offshore, deep-sea solution is so important.”
Of course, while desalination can be a great way to add supplies of freshwater to meet demand, it needs support from governments and a body of policies intended to support investment and innovation
Desalination will grow in importance over the coming years as dwindling water resources meet increasing demand from a growing population and water-intensive industries. Increasingly, governments are addressing this growth with meaningful policies and investments. As Robert notes, California has made significant moves in that direction:
“California’s 2025–26 budget includes over $1 billion for water programs, including funding for infrastructure and innovation. There’s a clear policy shift toward diversifying water supply. Our pilot with Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (LVMWD) was made possible in part through that shift. We’ve already received approval from the California Coastal Commission to move to ocean testing, a major regulatory milestone.”
“That said, more support is still needed. Solving the water crisis requires policymakers to recognize the full value of water – by integrating climate risks into financial models, prioritizing sustainable investments, and treating water as a central component of economic strategy.”
While California and other parts of the world are starting to support desalination with targeted policies, this is far from true everywhere. One of the reasons behind government reluctance is the list of environmental and social problems that see desalination meet resistance from green advocates and local communities.
While desalination is undoubtedly helping many areas of the world cope with chronic water shortages, the traditional desalination systems
carry a number of societal costs with respect to environmental damage and the effect on local ecosystems and communities. To overcome this, OceanWell’s approach anchors a series of twelve metre (40 feet) cylindrical devices, known as pods, to the ocean floor. Here, hydrostatic pressure drives reverse osmosis and produces freshwater for piping back to land, without producing brine and without high energy usage, while significantly reducing the environmental damage and the need for large, aesthetically intrusive facilities.
Robert lays out some of the issues and suggests how moving the process offshore could solve them:
“Our technology directly responds to the core issues associated with legacy desalination plants: energy use, environmental impact, and large, fixed infrastructure.”
High energy use: Traditional systems rely on high-powered pumps to push water through membranes. We use natural hydrostatic pressure found over 400 meters below sea level to drive the reverse osmosis process, cutting energy use by up to 40%.
Mild and benign brine: Most desalination systems convert only about 50% of seawater into freshwater, with the rest discharged as concentrated brine that is harmful to the marine ecosystem. OceanWell operates at a lower recovery rate (5-15%), producing much milder brine which rapidly dissipates to background levels.
Our technology directly responds to the core issues associated with legacy desalination plants: energy use, environmental impact, and large, fixed infrastructure. “ “
Marine life protection: no pressure changes, and safely in the ocean. Our mortality.
Large industrial facilities: eliminates the need for large making deployment more and more resilient to extreme
In short, we’re not just – we’re rethinking how, it can be done.”
Clearly, moving desalination to alleviate some of the approaches to desalination. important aspect is the overlap production with the environment, carbon dioxide emissions.
One of the main concerns desalination is the high energy some areas, adds to a country’s Even in a state like California, renewable energy production, diverts energy from other
protection: We use no chemicals, and leave the marine life objective is zero
facilities: Our subsea system large onshore facilities, more flexible, less intrusive, extreme weather.
updating desalination where, and at what scale
desalination offshore can help problems with traditional desalination. One additional overlap of water environment, especially emissions.
concerns with onshore energy usage which, in country’s CO2 emissions. California, with high levels of production, desalination still other sectors, while other
parts of the world are still heavily reliant on fossil fuels. Any desalination technology that can reduce energy usage is going to help reduce the environmental footprint. Robert believes that offshore facilities will support this process:
“By using natural hydrostatic pressure rather than surface-based pumps, OceanWell reduces energy use by up to 40%, significantly lowering the carbon footprint per gallon of clean water produced. That decrease is critical as AI, manufacturing, and data centers continue to drive up both energy and water demand. Our system delivers on both fronts: less energy and more water.”
While the concept behind offshore water harvesting holds great promise, showing that a technology works on paper and running computer simulations are only the first step. Pilot studies and testing are essential, showing that the technology works and justifying extensive investments
To implement the technology, the testing follows a phased approach that not only tests the idea but also explores how to integrate it into existing water systems and target vulnerable
communities at risk from water shortages.
“OceanWell is currently in the testing phase with a pilot project underway in partnership with the LVMWD. From there, OceanWell will kick off a series of additional pilot projects in the U.S. and abroad focused on demonstration testing and commercial readiness.”
“We are also actively working with our California Working Group of 24 water agencies to identify more distribution opportunities within the state. These projects will work towards creating new sources of water for some of the most vulnerable communities in the West and abroad by leveraging OceanWell’s technology and existing municipal water infrastructure.”
In summary, desalination is a technology that has been accused of only solving water shortage problems by creating other issues. Any new technology that can reduce the environmental impacts could overcome many of the objections from environmental groups and local communities. Setting up subsea water harvesting is one way of achieving this, through reducing the local environmental footprint and by contributing to lower global CO2 emissions.
Written By | By Alexei Levene, Co-Founder & Chief Growth Officer Desolenator
hat if the answer to the world’s water challenges was flowing freely as photons from the sky or being emitted as wasted heat from our earth? Desolenator believes it is. By harnessing the full spectrum of the sun’s energy while utilising abundant low grade waste heat, they’ve developed a solar thermal desalination system that transforms seawater and brackish sources into ultrapure drinking water. No filters, no chemicals, no emissions. Just photons, glass, heat and intelligent design.
Headquartered in the Netherlands with operations spanning the USA, India and the UAE, Desolenator’s technology harnesses the sun in a way that could help to reshape the future of clean water production. While most solar tech stops at generating electricity, Desolenator goes further - capturing thermal energy to power a closedloop, zero-waste purification process. It’s a solution born
from nature, engineered for resilience and capable of delivering clean water without harming the planet it serves.
Unlike conventional desalination systems that rely heavily on fossil fuels and high-pressure membranes, Desolenator uses a novel solar thermal technology. At its core, the system captures solar photons using photovoltaic panels, then uses the generated electricity and thermal energy to distil water, mimicking nature’s hydrological cycle within a closed-loop device.
“It’s a hybrid of solar electricity and thermal distillation. By combining these forces, we can purify water from almost any source- seawater, brackish water, even contaminated groundwater- with no need for chemicals or consumables.”
Traditional reverse osmosis (RO) systems require highpressure pumps to force seawater through membranes, consuming 3–10 kWh per cubic meter and producing large quantities of concentrated brine 1. Desolenator’s patented system, by contrast, utilises their patented photo
voltaic thermal (PVT) panels in combination with low grade waste heat that may be available and produces no toxic discharge.
One of Desolenator’s major breakthroughs lies in its energy sources: pure, abundant sunlight and low grade waste heat that could come from everything from a generator to geothermal.
Conventional desalination is incredibly carbon-intensive. According to the International Energy Agency, desalination plants globally consume more than 200 million kWh of electricity per day, mainly from fossil fuels. This not only drives up costs but contributes to environmental degradation that threatens freshwater ecosystems.
solid salt that includes valuable commodities such as Magnesium.
Desolenator’s solar-powered approach sidesteps this dependency entirely. Their flagship plant in Dubai, for example, produces 25m3 of clean water daily using only solar energy with 24/7 operations. This reduces carbon emissions by an estimated 140 tons per year compared to conventional desalination systems.
The system’s high efficiency is enabled by integrated design: the PVT panels double as thermal collectors, and the heat is stored and cycled to maintain 24-hour operation. This boosts energy yield while maintaining consistent water output- even in off-peak hours. When you combine that with for example industrial waste heat, the Desolenator platform becomes highly energy efficient and saves huge costs - for example today around 55% of the total cost of typical Reverse Osmosis plants is in energy.
Conventional desalination has long faced criticism for its environmental downsides. One of the main problems is brine discharge and its harmful impacts on marine life when dumped back into the oceans. According to a 2019 study published in Science of the Total Environment, desalination plants produce more brine than freshwater and around 141.5 million cubic meters per day globally.
Desolenator takes a radically different approach. They have integrated a Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) module that enables the brine to be taken all the way to a solid, in a bankable way, especially in highly regulated environments. The system produces Ultra Pure water that can be remineralised into high quality potable water as well as a
“We leverage abundant resources and a zero harmful chemical approach that creates high quality water on the one hand, and zero brine on the other. That’s why we call it ‘zero harm.’
With climate change accelerating droughts, depleting aquifers and contaminating freshwater supplies, the demand for resilient, off-grid water systems is only increasing. Desolenator sees itself not just as a technology provider, but as a catalyst for global water equity.
Their short-term goal is ambitious, to scale to 1 billion litres per day of sustainable water production by 2030, with a focus on water stressed regions. Projects are already underway in the GCC region with a project pipeline from South Asia to the USA, especially being driven by the demand from Data Centre operations.
The team envisions a future where every industry and community, has decentralised access to sustainable water and true water security. As the planet heats up and freshwater becomes more precious, solutions like Desolenator’s offer a hopeful glimpse into a future where humanity doesn’t have to choose between survival and sustainability.
“The water crisis is not just about scarcity. It’s about access, equity and resilience. Our technology is designed for a future where clean water is a right, not a privilege.”
1. https://www.iea.org/reports/the-future-of-desalination
Written By | DARBY BONNER
“We’re not trying to reinvent the (desalination) wheel — we’re just making it cleaner, simpler, and more efficient.”
Sidon Water is a clean technology company helping commercial and industrial facilities protect their critical systems and improve water efficiency, without the use of salt, chemicals or maintenance-heavy equipment. We spoke to Chris Rose, Managing Director, Sidon Water, about their flagship solution, which utilises a unique electrochemical process to restructure water and fundamentally alter its behaviour in high-pressure systems, such as reverse osmosis (RO).
Originally designed to tackle limescale issues in heat pumps and hot water systems, this technology is now being trialled in desalination plants treating seawater and brackish water. By conditioning the feedwater before filtration, the system improves membrane protection, reduces energy consumption per cubic metre of permeate produced, and cuts down on chemical usage, maintenance, and unplanned downtime. With installations across Europe, the UK, and the USA, Sidon Water is helping operators meet growing sustainability targets while extending the life and performance of their assets.
The Integro™ restructures water electrochemically. As water passes through the device, it is exposed to a carefully configured electrical field that alters ion pairing and cluster formation. This results in the breakdown of larger hydrogen-bonded clusters into smaller ones, effectively lowering the surface tension of the water. This “wetter
water” passes more easily through membrane pores, improving recovery rates and reducing the energy needed to produce each cubic metre of permeate.
Unlike traditional chemical pre-treatment methods, which add inhibitors or adjust pH to mitigate scaling, this approach modifies the physical properties of water itself (ion structure & activity, crystallisation dynamics and surface interaction behaviour). This passive yet powerful approach delivers benefits throughout the RO system, without chemicals, dosing pumps, or maintenance.
One of the most persistent challenges in desalination is the deposition of minerals such as calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, and sulfates. Sidon Water’s technology addresses this by influencing the electrical charge distribution of these ions, making them less likely to crystallise and adhere to surfaces. Initial field data and independent validation have shown promising reductions in scale formation on RO membranes, even in high-hardness waters containing up to 60 ppm of silica.
This effect is achieved without altering the water chemistry - nothing is added or removed. The minerals remain in solution, but in a less reactive, less adhesive state. The result is cleaner membranes, fewer CIP cycles, and significantly lower reliance on conventional antiscalants.
RO systems are energy-intensive, largely due to the pressure needed to force water through semi-permeable membranes. Fouling and scaling increase this resistance over time. But by keeping membranes clean, the system enables operators to run at lower pressures.
Preliminary results from early deployments of the Integro™ suggest energy consumption reductions of
between 2% to 15%, depending on feedwater quality and plant configuration. Combined with the “wetter water” effect created by hydrogen bond disruption, this efficiency gain translates directly to reduced kWh per cubic metre of permeate produced, lowering OPEX while improving sustainability.
The Integro™ also plays a role in biofouling control. By reducing surface tension and altering water chemistry at a structural level, it creates conditions that are less hospitable to bacterial adhesion and early biofilm development. While not a substitute for disinfection, it significantly reduces the rate of bacterial colonisation and nutrient film formation.
Some operators have already reported reduced reliance on oxidising biocides and extended intervals between membrane cleaning. Sidon Water’s clients have also reported maintenance cost reductions of 20 to 30% and more stable operational performance.
Membrane replacement is a major cost driver in desalination. By reducing scale and biofouling, the technology not only improves day-to-day performance but also prolongs membrane life. In Sidon Water’s longestrunning installations (now over three years), membranes in treated systems have shown minimal degradation and no unplanned replacements over the observed period.
One client reported a 40% reduction in membrane procurement costs over two years, not driven by changes in membrane technology, but by better pre-treatment from the electrochemical conditioning system.
As global demand for desalination grows, operators are under increasing pressure to reduce energy use, chemical dependency, and environmental impact, without compromising output or reliability. Traditional solutions often rely on consumables and generate additional waste streams.
Sidon Water offers an alternative: a passive, inline technology that integrates easily into existing infrastructure and begins delivering benefits immediately. With no chemical inputs, no moving parts, and no maintenance required, this electrochemical approach is a cost-effective, scalable tool for improving sustainability at every stage of desalination.
Sidon Water’s electrochemical water conditioning technology represents a breakthrough in how we condition water for desalination. While still in the early stages of deployment across the desalination sector, the results so far are highly encouraging.
By reducing scale, biofouling, energy use, and chemical dependency, all through a passive, chemical-free process, it redefines what’s possible in RO efficiency. Sidon Water is now looking to build on these early successes and the knowledge they have gathered, actively seeking new partners for proof-of-concept projects that can further validate this promising solution.
Written By | NATASHA POSNETT
As the world accelerates toward a low-carbon future, green hydrogen has emerged as a clean alternative and key decarbonisation strategy. But behind the promise of this zeroemissions fuel lies an often overlooked challenge: the massive volumes of ultrapure water required for its production. At the critical intersection of water and energy, one question rises to the surface- where will all this water come from, and at what cost?
To explore the innovations addressing this challenge, I spoke with Emma Swiergon, Technology Manager at the Net Zero Technology Centre, about the vital role desalination and water treatment technologies are playing in shaping a truly sustainable hydrogen economy.
“At the Net Zero Technology Centre, we recognise desalination as a key technology for the energy transition,
particularly in largescale, low-carbon hydrogen production. Electrolysis for hydrogen requires high volumes of ultrapure water, free from contaminants that can affect system efficiency and damage components. Ensuring a sustainable supply of this water is crucial as hydrogen demand grows.”
Hydrogen production via electrolysis involves splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity- ideally from renewable sources. But the process depends on water of exceptional purity. Using freshwater for this purpose raises questions about resource allocation, especially as many regions already face water stress.
Seawater desalination emerges as a practical solution. However, it also comes with its own challenges, primarily high energy consumption and the environmental impact of brine discharge. These factors can significantly inflate the carbon footprint of hydrogen facilities, undermining the very climate goals they aim to support.
This is where innovation becomes crucial.
“At the Net Zero Technology Centre, we’re focused on supporting technologies that reduce the energy and cost burden of water purification. Through our open innovation funding programmes and TechX accelerator, we’ve backed several companies tackling these challenges head-on.”
One standout example is Edinburgh-based start-up Waterwhelm. Their novel technology harnesses excess heat from industrial processes to power desalination. By repurposing waste heat, Waterwhelm dramatically improves the energy efficiency of the process, reducing operational costs and overall emissions.
“This approach provides a more sustainable way to produce high-purity water for hydrogen electrolysis without relying on traditional energy sources. It’s a promising solution for the future of hydrogen production.”
The Centre’s work is not just theoretical, it is being implemented in real-world projects. Through the Net Zero Technology Transition Programme, supported by the Scottish Government’s Energy Transition Fund, the Centre is leading seven major projects aimed at scaling up clean energy technologies.
Among them is the UK Energy Hubs initiative, designed to produce 300,000 tonnes of hydrogen annually. To achieve this, the project requires over 300 cubic metres of ultrapure water every hour.
“Given that relying on freshwater isn’t viable, seawater desalination and wastewater treatment have been identified as essential solutions.”
This integrated approach does more than provide a sustainable water supply, it also reduces pressure on freshwater ecosystems and supports the resilience of water infrastructure in a warming world.
While improving desalination is key, the Centre is also exploring ways to bypass it altogether.
“We’re supporting innovations in electrolyser technology that enable direct seawater electrolysis.”
One such innovation comes from sHYp, a company backed by the Centre’s TechX Accelerator. Their patented, membraneless electrolyser can process raw seawater directly, eliminating the need for pre-treatment. This innovation reduces energy use and emissions by up to 60%, while also avoiding the generation of toxic waste often associated with traditional desalination methods.
No conversation about desalination is complete without addressing its by-product: brine. Typically, this concentrated saline waste is discharged into the ocean, where it can harm marine ecosystems. With large-scale hydrogen production, the volume of brine becomes even more substantial, and so does the need to manage it responsibly.
“Our Energy Hubs project is also exploring by-product management, including large-scale brine disposal. In Phase 2, we’re investigating opportunities to add value to desalination by-products.”
This includes exploring how salts and other minerals extracted from brine can be integrated into other industrial processes. However, practical challenges remain. Local demand for salt is often limited, and transporting it to other regions can be cost-prohibitive.
“Despite these challenges, we continue to explore circular economy solutions. We’re committed to finding ways to reduce waste and maximise resource recovery wherever possible.”
As the energy system continues to evolve, the interplay between water and energy will become more pronounced. Ensuring that both systems can support each other is essential for long-term sustainability.
“Desalination is crucial to achieving net zero and water resilience. With freshwater sources becoming scarce, seawater desalination offers a sustainable alternative, but only if we align it with net zero goals by incorporating low-carbon energy and improving efficiency. We’re committed to supporting innovations that address both water and energy challenges- because one can’t be solved without the other.”
As the drive toward net zero intensifies, the link between clean energy and clean water can no longer be treated as an afterthought. From advanced desalination systems to seawater electrolysis and circular economy approaches, innovation at the water-energy nexus is not just enabling the hydrogen transition- it’s redefining what sustainable energy looks like. By supporting these solutions, the Net Zero Technology Centre is helping ensure that the hydrogen economy is built not only on low-carbon principles, but on resilient, responsible resource use. Because in the race to decarbonise, solving our water challenge is fundamental.
Written By | MARTYN SHUTTLEWORTH
Yemen, prominent in the news, is one of the most water-scarce countries in the world, with high groundwater depletion and much of the population unable to meet their daily needs. This scarcity is exacerbated by the country’s vulnerability to climate change, poor infrastructure, and years of ongoing conflict that make its present water usage unsustainable.
Despite these difficulties, a number of international organizations seek long-term solutions, working with government and local communities to improve access to water and sanitation, provide water for agriculture, and stave off the risk of disease from untreated water. One of these organisations, the UNDP, has suggested that desalination can increase freshwater supplies.
One water expert, Bouran Mohammed, provides a rich background to Yemen’s struggles with water, revealing the difficulties of working in a conflict zone and suggesting how desalination can help. As a Water Resources Engineer with extensive experience, she has contributed to several projects in Africa and Middle East funded by international organisations and development banks and has authored more than 10 publications in the field. Currently, Bouran serves as a Water Resources Management Specialist for UNDP Yemen, supporting projects within the Climate Change, Energy, and Environment Portfolio while helping the government strengthen Yemen's position in the regional water sector.
Located on the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen is a largely arid country with a challenging climate and few water resources. For growing food and for daily life, its 40 million people rely heavily on rainfall, which can be unpredictable and extremely vulnerable
to the changing climate, leaving communities with barely enough.
The shortfall in surface water means that the country taps deeply into its reserves of groundwater, but these are finite and face pressure from unlicensed extraction and illegal wells, few ways of monitoring usage and levels, and no long-term management strategy. While, over time, countries can develop systems to overcome these problems, the ongoing conflicts in Yemen and destruction of infrastructure make management, monitoring, and enforcement very difficult. As Bouran notes:
“Water-related conflicts are a global phenomenon, often tied to the broader issue of natural resource disputes. In Yemen, these conflicts are exacerbated by damaged infrastructure due to conflict, climate variability impacting vulnerable populations, and competing demands amidst weak water governance.
Internal displacement due to the conflict means that even stable regions of Yemen face higher demand due to population increase, which further strains infrastructure and water resources. Many government organisations overseeing water resources have collapsed, leading to overextraction and wastage. Bouran points out that:
“The depletion and overexploitation of groundwater in Tuban Basin is attributed to climate change, poor water governance and the lack of the enforcement of regulations which have led to the irregular well drilling. In addition, the increase in water demand in the interim capital Aden has been exacerbated by the influx of displaced families.”
One problem is that water shortages and destroyed infrastructure drive people towards unsafe sources prone to contamination and disease. Others are forced to use private water sources and tankers, which are
unaffordable for many households, leaving them to manage with only a fraction of the water they actually need, especially when various sides in the conflict weaponize supplies Bouran highlights the scale of this problem:
“A recent UNDP Yemen report highlights that 70-80% of rural disputes in Yemen are waterrelated, with one-third of criminal court cases involving water disputes, leading to approximately 2,500 deaths annually.”
Increasing the availability of water could ease some of the conflicts over water resources, and guide society and the economy along the slow path to recovery. Bouran believes that:
“This surge in consumption has strained both water resources and infrastructure, highlighting the urgent need to explore alternative solutions such as desalination.”
While desalination can help solve chronic water shortages, capital projects such as desalination plants require significant investment and a shift from short term aid to long-term planning. Previously, because even short-term water shortages can lead to disease and death, the government and international organisations focused on immediate humanitarian needs. Fewer resources covered longer-term development of the water sector, meaning that deeper problems were never solved. Bouran points out a recent shift in mentality:
“Since the onset of the conflict, donor funding has primarily focused on humanitarian aid. However, there has been a recent notable shift towards development initiatives aimed at addressing the impacts of climate change across various sectors, including water. In Yemen desalination is now perceived as a development project, involving the deployment of decentralized plants, infrastructure rehabilitation and upgrades to minimize network losses, and institutional strengthening to improve consumption management and billing systems.”
While Yemen’s climate works against water availability, the country has enormous potential to develop the renewable energy needed to power desalination sustainably. This will also reduce the reliance on fossil fuels, often restricted by economics and conflict, and would make desalination plants independent from an electricity grid prone to power shortages. Bouran adds that:
“Desalination is not only a water project but also an energy project. Yemen's renewable energy potential, including solar, geothermal, wind and marine, offers opportunities for integration with desalination. Solar energy accessibility for basic infrastructure has recently improved with donor support, but further exploration and feasibility studies are needed for other renewable sources. Integrating renewables into desalination can significantly reduce energy costs, mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, and align with national policies aimed at reducing dependence on fossil fuels.”
Previously, Yemen started a desalination program with two government-owned thermal plants. Alhaswah Electricity Station supplies electricity mainly for Aden city through heating seawater, producing about 69,000 m3 day of freshwater to mix into the water supply network. Al-Mokha desalination station in Taiz had a total installed gross desalination capacity (design
Water is the essence of life. That’s why a type of measurement technology is required that does justice to its importance. Our level and pressure sensors ensure quality with precise measured values to support reliable treatment processes – especially when every drop matters.
Everything is possible. With VEGA
capacity) of 76,596 m3/day, but the plant was destroyed in 2016. Bouran adds that “Additionally, private desalination plants, such as those owned by prominent businesses like Hayel Saeed Anam, contribute to the sector.”
Because the government does not necessarily have the funds to set up wholesale desalination, encouraging further private sector involvement will be crucial. According to Bouran:
“Private sector engagement is critical for scaling up desalination and ensuring the sustainability of such large investments, however this requires supportive legislation to create an enabling environment for investors, as well as for lending agencies and development banks to provide grants and loans. Entry points for private sector involvement include capital investment and operation and maintenance of desalination and solar plants, bottled water and carbonated soft drink production, supply of spare parts and consumables, revenue collection and e-commerce, and brine mining and recycling.”
more than just a technological pursuit. As Bouran notes, organisations such as the UNDP have to overcome many other challenges:
“As mentioned, water governance plays a pivotal role in ensuring the enforcement of regulations within the water sector. Equally important is the concept of willingness to pay, which directly influences tariff affordability for both municipal and industrial demands. Also, environmental regulations are particularly critical when seeking to attract funding from international donors and development banks which requires compliance to their environmental and social safeguards and the alignment to international treaties for environment and climate change.”
Yemen shows how conflict can exacerbate water shortages, where internal displacement, inability to enforce regulations, and overexploitation of resources see people go without water and increase the risk of disease and famine. Organisations such as the UNDP, working with the government and private sector, can promote desalination and take advantage of the country’s abundant energy potential, using this to support economic recovery.
In a country with conflicts and fragile socioeconomic conditions, implementing desalination programmes is
As Chile grapples with an escalating water crisis, we spoke with Dr. Ivan Sola, a leading researcher in environmental management and desalination development, who is pioneering sophisticated mapping techniques that could transform how countries approach water scarcity challenges.
How severe is Chile’s water scarcity situation, and why is the north-central region particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts?
The country is highly threatened by climate change, and there is a drastic reduction in precipitation, increased evaporation, increased frequency of droughts, and increased temperature, which are seriously affecting the availability of water resources. Prediction models estimate a drastic situation for the period 2030 - 2060 for the central-northern region, projecting a reduction of up to 50%, which will cause serious socio-economic consequences, especially in productive activities such as agriculture and also human consumption.
Considering Chile’s geography, with 6400 km of coastline and an average width of 180 km, seawater desalination represents one of the best alternatives to solve current and future challenges regarding water scarcity.
Can you explain how your GIS model works to identify optimal desalination plant locations? What makes this approach more effective than traditional site selection methods?
The analysis works to assess, through a multi-criteria
analysis, the potential locations for the sustainable desalination development in Chile. For that, the goal is to identify the best geographic alternatives and zoning criteria through the analysis of different environmental, economic and social factors involved in the construction of Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) plants and their freshwater distribution lines to reduce costs of desalinated water, social conflicts, and minimizing the environmental impacts associated.
What are the most critical economic and environmental factors your model considers when evaluating potential desalination sites?
The analysis was carried out by identifying the main environmental and socio-economic criteria involved in the development of desalination plants and their respective freshwater lines. The model considers: areas of the analysis that should be strictly avoided (marine protected or high environmental value areas; land protected or high environmental value areas; land areas with urban-industrial activities; tsunami inundation risk areas); proximity to the coastline; altitudinal zonation; location of potential freshwater demands; proximity to the power grids and road infrastructure; proximity to locations that may potentially produce social conflict (e.g. fishing harbors).
What specific areas in the Valparaíso Region emerged as optimal locations, and what advantages do these sites offer for desalination development?
The northern zone of the Valparaíso Region presents an optimal area to establish a desalination plant on the coastline near the city councils of Cabildo and La Ligua, and populations located within a distance of 50 km. This area represents a high drinking water demand for the large agricultural producers located near these municipalities. The central zone presents a viable area for developing a
desalination plant in the Concon city, to supply freshwater to the interior of the Region. Thus, the desalinated water production could address the high-water demand of the large agricultural producers located around the cities, and the water supply for different cities around.
The southern zone has a suitable area located south of Santo Domingo locality, which would produce freshwater for the small agricultural producers within a 20 km distance. However, in the southern area, due to its geographical position, the water distribution line would not comply with an environmental and energy efficiency approach. Therefore, it would be recommended that the water strategy adopted be based on the implementation of small or modular desalination plants to solve local water demand problems.
How could this GIS methodology be adapted for other water-stressed regions worldwide? What modifications would be needed for different geographic contexts?
This analysis can be extrapolated as a tool to assess the development of desalination projects in other regions of Chile or other regions of the world. In the context of other geographic regions, it is important to incorporate specific criteria that are relevant to the characteristics of each area.
For example, in the case of Chile, the analysis specifically included factors such as tsunami flood risk zones, proximity to fishermen’s harbours, among others. Also, the relative importance of each area should be considered for every specific analysis.
What impact does brine have on coastal ecosystems, and how are those impacts reduced under the discharge conditions described in studies carried out in Chile?
Brine discharges can potentially impact marine ecosystems, particularly benthic communities such as fauna and flora species (e.g., macroalgae, seagrass meadows), when natural salinity levels are exceeded beyond their tolerance thresholds. However, in cases where environmental impacts have been observed, they are typically the result of inadequate mitigation measures and/or poorly executed environmental assessments.
Based on our evaluation of several desalination plants with varying production capacities and site characteristics, we have found that in most cases, the increase in salinity is less than 5% above natural levels, and this occurs within a radius of less than 100 meters.
For ensure a sustainable long-term operation, I recommend to include: a rigorous environmental assessment process, the adoption of scientifically tested measures to minimize the impacts of brine discharges, such as the use of diffusers and/or discharge dilution with seawater or other sources, and the implementation of a rigorous environmental monitoring program that implements the appropriate requirements to ensure the sustainable operation of desalination plants.
How do you assess the coastline of Chile for the installation of new desalination plants, particularly from the perspective of environmental impacts?
The coastline of Chile is highly diverse in terms of coastal dynamics, featuring many areas that are optimal for the installation of desalination plants from socio-environmental and economic perspectives. However, we have observed certain zones with less favourable conditions from an oceanographic standpoint in terms of brine dilution capacity.
Should the establishment of a national brine discharge regulation be a country-wide standard or adapted to specific geographic zones?
Based on the results obtained, I propose the establishment of a specific environmental regulation in Chile that sets a maximum permissible increase in salinity relative to natural salinity levels at brine discharge zones, similar to approaches implemented in other countries such as Australia or California.
Also, I recommend the development of a regulatory framework that outlines appropriate requirements for conducting a rigorous environmental impact assessment process and an environmental monitoring plan, with a strong emphasis on collaboration between the public and private sectors and academia, to ensure the sustainable development of future projects.
What innovations or trends are emerging to further reduce the environmental impacts of brine discharges into marine ecosystems?
On one hand, various methods are being researched to extract minerals and other valuable products from brine, a field known as Brine Mining, which has several pilot projects underway around the world. This approach not only reduces the volume of brine but can also generate additional income and useful resources.
On the other hand, we are developing new strategies for the biomonitoring of brine discharges to ensure early detection of potential impacts on marine ecosystems, as well as adopting new strategies and sustainable compounds within the desalination process. At the same time, I am advancing on circular economy strategies for the reuse of brine discharges in alternative applications.
Written By | NATASHA POSNETT
“Desalination used to be a technology of last resort. Now, it’s becoming a first line of defence solution.”
These are the words of Rodney Clemente, Senior Vice President of Water at Energy Recovery, and they capture the revolution underway in global water infrastructure. As existing traditional freshwater sources dwindle and demand surges, desalination is being reimagined, not as a costly environmental compromise, but as a sustainable cornerstone of future water supply and water management diversification.
We all know that we need to find solutions to our freshwater issues, yet the energy-intensive nature of traditional desalination methods still casts a shadow over the environmental viability and economics of desalination. There is a critical need for innovation in this sector.
“With the continued divergence between global freshwater supplies and demand, finding ways to provide clean, reliable freshwater to communities and industries around the world is more important than ever.”
One innovation that is making an impact is the PX Q400 pressure exchanger. It is reshaping how people think about turning seawater into a viable, everyday resource. The company behind it, Energy Recovery, is offering a solution that meets the demand for our growing freshwater supply but does so with industry-leading efficiency.
At the heart of the PX Q400’s innovation is its ability to recapture and reuse energy within the desalination process. Unlike traditional systems that dissipate energy as heat, the PX Q400 harnesses this energy, reducing overall energy consumption and operational costs.
“The pressure exchanger makes desalination affordable and is the engine that drives sustainable operations. As the need for desalination becomes more dire in certain areas like the Middle East and North Africa, our technologies help offset environmental and regulatory limitations. The reliability and energy efficiency of technologies like the PX give more confidence to those investing in seawater desalination.”
The PX Q400’s design ensures minimal energy loss, translating to lower carbon footprints and compliance with increasingly stringent environmental standards.
What sets the PX Q400 apart from its predecessors and competitors is its unparalleled efficiency and longevity. Capable of handling up to 400 gallons per minute, it
boasts the highest capacity in Energy Recovery’s PX line-up. This increased capacity means fewer units are required, reducing both capital expenditure and physical footprint of desalination plants.
The high efficiency of the PX Q400 allows for the lowest specific energy consumptions (kwh / m3) thus driving down the water tariff ($ / m3) for large-scale desalination facilities. The pressure exchanger is installed in many desalination plants around the world that are breaking records in reducing energy consumption. Moreover, the PX Q400 operates with less than 3% volumetric mixing, a critical factor in maintaining high system performance in SWRO applications. Its construction from corrosion-resistant ceramic materials and a design featuring only one moving part contribute to its durability and low maintenance needs. With a proven 30-year design life and no scheduled maintenance, the PX Q400 offers a compelling proposition for long-term, sustainable desalination operations resulting in the lowest life-cycle cost solution in facilities small and large alike.
The global reach and impact of the PX Q400 are a testament to its effectiveness and reliability. With over 35,000 PX devices deployed across seven continents, Energy Recovery’s technology already serves clean water to more than 70 million people daily. The cumulative effect of these installations is incredible: an estimated $6.3 billion in annual energy savings and a reduction of 19.7 million metric tons of carbon emissions each year.
These figures underscore the transformative potential of the PX Q400 in addressing both the water scarcity and climate change crises. By significantly lowering energy consumption, desalination becomes a more viable and environmentally friendly option for providing freshwater to underserved regions.
“A notable example of the PX Q400’s capabilities is its involvement in the DESALRO 2.0 project, which aims to set a new benchmark in energy efficiency for SWRO desalination. This project seeks to design a reverse osmosis plant with the lowest possible energy consumption, pushing the boundaries of what is achievable in sustainable desalination. The PX Q400’s role in this initiative highlights its potential to lead the industry toward more energy-efficient and cost-effective solutions.”
As the global demand for freshwater continues to rise, the role of innovative technologies like the PX Q400 becomes increasingly vital. Desalination, once viewed as
an energyintensive last resort, is now emerging as a cornerstone of sustainable water supply strategies. The PX Q400 exemplifies how technological advancements can align economic feasibility with environmental responsibility.
Rodney Clemente encapsulates this vision:
“With the PX Q400, we’ve further innovated and improved upon the reliable, field-tested, and trusted PX models that preceded it. The PX Q400 enhances efficiency, capacity and value to ensure Energy Recovery remains the most trusted manufacturer of ERDs in desalination. We are excited about what we are learning about our technology daily and are equally excited to continue to push the technology to its limits. Please stay tuned about the next generation of PX devices.”
This commitment to continuous improvement and sustainability positions the PX Q400 as a pivotal player in the future of global water security.
In conclusion, the PX Q400 is not just an energy recovery device—it represents a meaningful advancement in desalination technology. By combining high efficiency with a focus on sustainability, it provides a practical solution to the growing global demand for freshwater. Innovations like this are essential for addressing water scarcity while minimizing environmental impact.
To learn more, read Energy Recovery’s latest white paper on improving energy efficiency in desalination: https://energyrecovery.com/resources/highly-efficientenergy-recovery-devices/
In this issue’s Expert Opinions, we hear from leading voices across the water sector as they share current innovations, lessons learned, and practical strategies advancing desalination today. From membrane breakthroughs to sustainable plant operations, these experts offer real-world perspectives shaping the industry right now.
Chief Technology Officer and Beverage Div. Lead
How is your organisation addressing the energy intensity challenge of desalination processes? What innovations are you implementing to reduce the carbon footprint?
WaterSurplus is tackling the energy intensity challenge of desalination on two fronts: technology and operations. On the technology side, our ImpactRO™ system for brackish water desalination delivers higher efficiency and recovery, reducing energy use by up to 15% and minimizing brine output. We’ve also developed a low-fouling, high-flux RO membrane coating that cuts desalination energy intensity by up to 20%.
Operationally, our Surplus Division serves as a model for membrane recycling and reuse, repurposing used membranes from large plants for industrial applications with less stringent flux and rejection requirements, resulting in up to 80% reduction in membrane carbon footprint. We also refurbish idle or unused RO equipment for use in industrial applications, reducing the need for energy-intensive production of new systems.
What innovations in membrane technology are you most excited about, and how might they improve efficiency and reduce costs?
I’ve been working on membrane technology to improve its fouling resistance and resilience for over a decade. I am particularly excited about NanoStack™, our hydrophilic coating for RO membranes. This bio-inspired innovation makes membranes up to 3x more fouling-resistant and resilient, boosting desalination efficiency and cutting energy use by up to 20%. Our long-term testing at one of the world’s largest water reuse plants has confirmed these benefits.
What are the most significant barriers to wider adoption of renewable energy-powered desalination, and how might these be overcome?
Renewable energy-powered desalination holds great promise, especially for remote and off-grid locations, but challenges remain. A key barrier is the energy demand of smaller plants, where energy recovery devices are both inefficient and costly. Improving energy recovery technologies at smaller scales is essential.
Intermittency of solar and wind energy is another hurdle. Progress is underway with higher-density batteries, improved solar panels, and small wind turbines for localized applications. Still, the losses from energy conversion and recovery make renewable energy-powered desalination a complex, costly approach, involving multiple integrated technologies.
In my view, wider adoption of renewable energy-powered desalination is most viable at larger scales, where energy can be efficiently transferred and stored using batteries and wires—rather than relying solely on direct renewable inputs for desalination.
Executive Director of Strategic Planning & Performance
Could you share a specific case study where your desalination solution solved a unique water scarcity challenge?
Yes, the Shuaibah Conversion Project is a strong example. Once a thermal desalination plant with high energy use and costs, it was converted in April 2025 into a high-efficiency RO facility.
The plant now delivers 600,000 m³/day of water using low-energy RO membranes, PX energy recovery, and solar integration—cutting energy consumption and CO₂ emissions. This upgrade secures long-term supply for Saudi Arabia’s western region and supports Vision 2030 sustainability goals. Most notably, the conversion reduces over 9.7 million tons of CO₂ emissions annually, making it a landmark in sustainable water infrastructure.
What role do you see for AI and advanced analytics in optimising desalination plant operations and maintenance?
SWPC’s RFPs promote innovation by emphasizing performance-based evaluation, digital readiness, and environmental compliance—without mandating specific technologies. This allows developers to integrate AI and analytics for predictive maintenance, energy optimization, and real-time monitoring. By focusing on outcomes, not methods, SWPC fosters competition that drives smarter, more sustainable desalination solutions aligned with Saudi Arabia’s vision for efficient and resilient water infrastructure.
How is climate change affecting desalination strategies and implementations worldwide?
Climate change is transforming how we address water security, and desalination is central to that shift. But it’s no longer just about producing more water—it’s about doing so efficiently and sustainably.
As freshwater sources shrink due to droughts and overuse, desalination offers a reliable, climate-resilient supply. But we also need to reuse water. At SWPC, a major strategy is treating sewage and reusing the high-quality output for agriculture, groundwater recharge, and industrial processes. This relieves pressure on desalinated water and supports long-term sustainability.
Because desalination is energy-intensive, it must evolve to meet climate goals. That’s why SWPC promotes technologies like PX energy recovery devices and blind split systems, which lower energy consumption. We also integrate solar power, as seen in Rabigh 4 and Jubail 3A, to cut emissions.
Lastly, we focus on reducing environmental impact—using diffuser-based brine discharge to protect marine ecosystems and sustainable intake designs to minimize harm to aquatic life.
SVP Business Development and Product Marketing
Could you share a specific case study where your desalination solution solved a unique water scarcity challenge?
In Alice, Texas, our team delivered a custom-designed brackish water reverse osmosis (BWRO) plant to combat chronic water shortages exacerbated by drought and aging infrastructure. The plant produces up to 2.7 million gallons per day, providing a reliable alternative source and stabilizing supply for the city. This turnkey solution not only addressed immediate scarcity but also improved long-term resilience without overburdening local resources.
How do you balance the environmental concerns (like brine disposal and marine ecosystem impacts) with the growing need for desalinated water?
Balancing environmental concerns with the need for desalinated water starts with responsible design and site-specific solutions. At our Alice, Texas plant, concentrated discharge flows into a nearby creek that eventually reaches Baffin Bay. Unlike seawater desalination, our brackish water discharge is significantly less saline, so much so that it actually has lower salinity than the natural levels in Baffin Bay. Rather than harming the ecosystem, this flow helps moderate overall salinity in the bay, offering a rare environmental benefit while delivering much-needed water security to the community.
How accessible are current desalination technologies for developing regions with limited resources? What solutions are emerging to address this gap?
Desalination is becoming more accessible through Water-as-a-Service® (WaaS®), which eliminates the need for large upfront capital. Our model delivers fully financed, operated, and maintained systems—ideal for resource-limited regions. By shifting costs to a predictable monthly rate, communities gain reliable water without the financial or technical burden.
Almar Water Solutions CEO
Could you share a specific case study where your desalination solution solved a unique water scarcity challenge?
Our Shuqaiq 3 desalination plant, located on the coast of the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia, is one of the largest reverse osmosis desalination plants in the world.
With a nominal production capacity of 450,000 cubic meters per day, the plant supplies both the population and the agricultural and industrial activities of the provinces of Asir and Jizan, which are home to nearly 4 million people.
With more than 53,000 membranes working simultaneously to produce more than 18 million liters of pure water per hour, it is the region’s first large-scale plant that uses highly energy-efficient pure reverse osmosis technology and it supplies up to 150 Hm3 (gigaliters) of high-quality water annually.
How accessible are current desalination technologies for developing regions with limited resources? What solutions are emerging to address this gap?
Desalination has established itself as an efficient technology in certain geographic areas. However, many developing regions struggle to finance the infrastructure and technologies needed to ensure reliable water access. This is often because utilities lack the creditworthiness or governance structures to attract private finance, while regulatory uncertainty and the absence of bankable project pipelines can damage investor confidence.
Creative financing models such as Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT), and Independent Water Projects (IWP) can help with the implementation of necessary desalination technologies. At Almar, we design creative and viable financing structures that address the water needs of any specific region and take its unique financial capacity into account.
How is climate change affecting desalination strategies and implementations worldwide?
Climate change is affecting desalination in multiple ways, including through heightened temperatures which increase evaporation, leading to more frequent droughts and a greater difficulty in predicting rainfalls, essential for natural water cycle replenishment.
However, traditional desalination methods are notoriously energyintensive, so the shift toward renewables and efficient technologies will be key to make the desalination process sustainable and viable.
In addition, to minimize the amount of brine discharged from the desalination process, innovative systems like Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) recover nearly all the water used in industrial processes and drastically reduce waste.
Digital water management platforms powered by AI and machine learning can optimize water consumption by monitoring usage in real time.
Sulzer Head of Infrastructure Sales
Could you share a specific case study where your desalination solution solved a unique water scarcity challenge?
Sulzer has been a trusted partner in desalination for decades, and its technology helps produce over 22 million cubic meters of freshwater every day. Each project brings new insights, allowing Sulzer’s teams to refine and improve their solutions.
One of the recent and most prominent desalination projects currently operating is Shuaiba-5, developed by Saudi Arabia’s Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC). Sulzer was awarded most of the pump requirements for the whole plant. The modular design combined with Sulzer’s market-leading pump efficiency and the latest energy recovery devices enabled the facility to achieve a record-low energy consumption rate of 2.34 kWh/m3, which significantly outperforms the benchmark figure of 4-5 kWh/m3.
What role do you see for AI and advanced analytics in optimising desalination plant operations and maintenance?
Advanced algorithms, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) all can play a role in improving the performance of desalination plants. One of the challenges is reducing the maintenance costs. For pumps, remote monitoring solutions can collect data and use it to predict failures before they occur, saving time and money. Sulzer’s BLUE BOX solution detects anomalies in pump performance and alerts operators with sufficient time to plan downtime and investigate further. In addition, a Sulzer pump expert reviews the anomaly data and proposes the best solution. Using AI and algorithms to monitor large volumes of data is key to avoiding errors in highlighting potential problems, which could develop into unplanned downtime.
Looking ahead to 2030, what fundamental shifts do you anticipate in desalination technology and implementation?
I can’t see a highly disruptive technology appearing in the short-term that will bring a huge reduction in the specific power consumption to produce desalinated water. Until this happens, the question will not be only about cheaper water, but more about reliable water supplies in the long term. This requires increasing good practices in plant design, as well as its operation and maintenance, which will extend the lifecycle of the desalination plant. This may potentially require an increase in CAPEX, both to improve quality throughout the supply chain and to ensure more efficient and accurate preventive maintenance and to reach ultimately higher water availability with lower OPEX over the long-term.
Strategic Planning & Initiatives Leader
How is your organisation addressing the energy intensity challenge of desalination processes? What innovations are you implementing to reduce the carbon footprint?
The Flowserve FLEX™ 8600 is a next-generation isobaric type Energy Recovery Device (ERD) that delivers a more efficient (98%) solution with unmatched CAPEX, space, and weight savings for SWRO desalination plant. With a reduced system volume and weight per rack, it decreases structural requirements and simplifies installation. FLEX™ 8600 features a more efficient design with fewer components and less piping than earlier ERDs with a direct saving in the CO2e emission. The overall impact to the industry is a further reduction in the overall cost/emissions of SWRO by reducing the kWh requirements for the membrane separation process.
As an example, in a 100 MLD SWRO desalination plant, conventional ERD setups require 8 to 12 units (with 8 being the most efficient current solution). FLEX™ 8600 achieves the same performance with only 6 units, reducing total system Carbon Footprint by up to 10000 kg across 8 racks. This results in up to 45% less weight per rack and up to 30% less volume per rack compared to earlier ERDs.
What role do you see for AI and advanced analytics in optimising desalination plant operations and maintenance?
AI and advanced analytics can optimize desalination plant operations by enhancing predictive maintenance, improving energy efficiency, and streamlining water quality monitoring. By analyzing real-time data, AI can identify patterns and anomalies, enabling proactive maintenance strategies that reduce downtime. Additionally, advanced analytics can optimize operational parameters, leading to cost savings and improved performance in water production and resource management as the use of chemical adders.
By 2030, desalination technology is expected to undergo significant advancements, focusing on reduced environmental footprints and enhanced modularity. Flowserve for example with its FLEX™ ERD, is embracing these targets by delivering solutions that incorporate a reduced footprint while maintaining high efficiency. Innovations in membrane technology and energy recovery systems will improve efficiency and decrease energy consumption, making desalination more sustainable. Modular designs will facilitate easier scalability and deployment, allowing for rapid responses to local water shortages. Integration with renewable energy sources will minimize the carbon footprint, transforming desalination into a more accessible and eco-friendly solution for addressing global water scarcity challenges.
Argonne National Laboratory
Senior Principal Chemical Engineer
How is your organisation addressing the energy intensity challenge of desalination processes? What innovations are you implementing to reduce the carbon footprint?
We implement a “fit-for-purpose” approach to innovating desalination technologies to reduce energy consumption. For brackish water desalination, using ion-selective separation, e.g., the resin-wafer electrodeionization (RW-EDI) can achieve ~ 40% thermodynamic energy efficiency compared to only 12% using current state-of-art, reverse osmosis (RO). The effect is ~75% carbon footprint reduction on fossil fuel. Furthermore, the RW-EDI is powered by electricity, a renewable energy, which would make the total reduction of C-footprint more than 75%. Since RW-EDI is a modular and linear scalable unit, it costs < $ 0.35/m3 water that can be implemented on-site for industrial as well as consumer applications.
Could you share a specific case study where your desalination solution solved a unique water scarcity challenge?
Water quality for cooling water is a crucial factor that has huge impact on the performance of water-cooling system for institute users such as universities and hospitals. In a case that occurred in a northern California university campus, the mandated change from surface water to ground water, due to water scarcity, created an unprecedented issue to the cooling efficiency. The severity of water quality caused the shutdown of half of the cooling systems in the campus. Our assessment to treat the low-quality ground water into “surface water equivalent” using the modular RW-EDI system can deliver water quality with a mid-size system of 3 gals per minute (GPM) unit. An immediate delivery of the RW-EDI system was requested. However, no test was done due to the pre-commercial scale system not being available yet at that time.
How do you balance the environmental concerns (like brine disposal and marine ecosystem impacts) with the growing need for desalinated water?
The fit-for-purpose strategy for desalination is designed to reduce environmental impact by the relatively small brine volume compared to state-of-art technology. Using RW-EDI, the volume ratio of brine generated is only < 3% for brackish water (e.g., ground water) compared to 50% using RO. 3% volume of brine is manageable and easily conveyed for resource recovery.and to reach ultimately higher water availability with lower OPEX over the long-term.
CEO
How is your organisation addressing the energy intensity challenge of desalination processes? What innovations are you implementing to reduce the carbon footprint?
Our CLLEEN MOBILE VAP system eliminates the need for trucking or piping of desalination brine disposal. We bring our trailers to the customer and evaporate the water on-site, eliminating the need for trucking, deep well injection, and/or brine diffusion return to the saltwater source. CLLEEN VAP is 1% of the carbon footprint of driving the same volume of brine to an injection well and injecting it into the ground. And an additional 8%, when we drive the dry salts to a salt customer for recycle/ reuse. Overall a 91% reduction in carbon footprint, and we reuse every ounce of salt.
How do you balance the environmental concerns (like brine disposal and marine ecosystem impacts) with the growing need for desalinated water?
With increased water scarcity, the ever-increasing demand for the world to “make” its own drinking water, marine ecosystem impacts will also increase with more brine disposal, and we believe CLLEEN VAP will become even more attractive to more desalination situations.
What role do you see for AI and advanced analytics in optimising desalination plant operations and maintenance?
AI is an engineering designer/planner’s best friend. Optimizing a desalination system (from intake, desalination process, brine disposal, and freshwater delivery to the customer), the more granular you can be with the details using AI, the farther ahead you are when you begin construction of the desalination system.
How is climate change affecting desalination strategies and implementations worldwide?
Drought has been with the human race since before the Industrial Revolution. However, many cases of drought seem to be increasing, not only in intensity (there are different classifications of the intensity of drought), but also in duration. One study found that lands affected by “Extreme Drought,”--the second-worst category (“Exceptional Drought” is the worst)--has tripled since the 1980’s.
bNovate Technologies SA Sales manager
What do you see as the most promising breakthrough in desalination technology over the past year, and how might it transform the industry?
While advances in membrane materials and renewable energy integration continue to be significant, real-time process monitoring has emerged as a major advancement. Continuous microbial detection systems enable desalination plants to immediately identify issues like membrane breaches or disinfection failures, significantly reducing contamination risks. This shift from delayed, reactive lab testing to proactive, real-time operations enhances overall plant safety, efficiency, and reliability, benefiting the entire industry.
What role do you see for AI and advanced analytics in optimising desalination plant operations and maintenance?
AI has significant potential in predictive maintenance and process optimisation. Advanced analytics can predict membrane fouling or identify disinfection inefficiencies early by correlating microbial data and operational parameters such as pressure, flow rates, or chemical dosages. AI-driven systems can proactively reduce downtime, optimize energy consumption, and extend the lifespan of critical components. In the future, AI could enable autonomous adjustments and closed-loop operational control, significantly enhancing plant efficiency and resilience.
What innovations in membrane technology are you most excited about, and how might they improve efficiency and reduce costs?
While robust, anti-fouling membranes continue to evolve, integrating advanced sensor technologies and analytics represents a pivotal development. Enhanced real-time monitoring capabilities allow immediate detection of membrane integrity issues, substantially reducing contamination risks and associated costs. Innovations such as membranes embedded with sensor technology could autonomously detect and diagnose faults, streamlining operations, reducing downtime, and enhancing overall efficiency.
Looking ahead to 2030, what fundamental shifts do you anticipate in desalination technology and implementation?
By 2030, desalination is likely to evolve from purely energyintensive processes toward more intelligent, sustainable, and circular solutions. Real-time monitoring and advanced analytics will become standard practice, mandated to ensure safe water distribution. AI-driven operations will dynamically optimize energy usage, membrane performance, and disinfection processes. Furthermore, advancements in brine recovery and resource extraction technologies will significantly reduce waste, enabling plants to deliver greater volumes of safe water using fewer resources.
Could you share a specific case study where your desalination solution solved a unique water scarcity challenge?
Faced with tightening water constraints in the Middle East, a multinational oil company sought a high-recovery solution to treat well water for reuse. For this project, we deployed our HIROX® system, which uses Moving Bed Ion Exchange to pre-condition feedwater for reverse osmosis (RO), achieving over 90% overall water recovery—compared to around 35% when using reverse osmosis alone. Moving Bed Ion Exchange selectively removes scale-forming hardness upstream of RO, enabling the RO to operate much closer to its osmotic pressure limit and maximising water recovery. This leads to reduced brine volumes, longer membrane life and significantly lower chemical use. The RO brine is reused to regenerate the ion exchange resin, eliminating the need for additional chemicals. This project demonstrates how smarter, more adaptive desalination approaches are already delivering the kind of efficiency, recovery and sustainability the industry increasingly demands..
What innovations in membrane technology are you most excited about, and how might they improve efficiency and reduce costs?
Desalination systems are under growing pressure to perform more efficiently, especially as feedwaters become more variable and complex. Through our subsidiary NematiQ, we’re developing ultra-thin Graphene Oxide Membranes that provide highly selective, low-energy filtration of seawater, surface water, groundwater and industrial effluents. Graphene Membranes selectively reject dissolved organics, colour, viruses, bacteria, and micropollutants, while allowing the passage of water and salts. Used as a pre-treatment stage ahead of reverse osmosis, they remove contaminants that would otherwise cause RO membrane fouling, helping to reduce cleaning frequency, extend membrane life, and cut operating costs. In high-recovery desalination, that’s a game changer.
Looking ahead to 2030, what fundamental shifts do you anticipate in desalination technology and implementation?
By 2030, desalination won’t just be about turning saline and brackish water into fresh water supply—it will be about doing it with less waste, fewer chemicals, higher water recovery and greater adaptability. We expect a growing shift towards smarter, more selective technologies like Moving Bed Ion Exchange and Graphene Membranes: solutions capable of meeting these performance demands, even with challenging feedwaters. In a world where water treatment must do more with less, we need innovations that deliver efficiency without compromise— desalination, redefined for the demands of today.
Desalination Business Development Manager
What role do you see for AI and advanced analytics in optimising desalination plant operations and maintenance?
As global demand for freshwater continues to rise, desalination plants must evolve to operate with higher efficiency, sustainability, and reliability. AI and advanced analytics are the core of this transformation, leveraging real-time data to drive smarter operations.
These technologies are enabling predictive maintenance by anticipating equipment failures and prioritizing maintenance tasks which minimizes unplanned downtime and extends the assets life.
Digital twins are playing an important role, by creating virtual models of plant systems, where the operators can safely simulate and optimize the processes offline, test different scenarios, and fine-tune their performance without operation disruption. This leads to significant energy savings and well informed decision-making.
Another important aspect is the continuous monitoring powered by AI which ensures water quality remains consistent. Anomaly detection can identify potential issues in real time and trigger corrective actions, helping plants stay compliant with increasingly strict environmental regulations.
AI and analytics are not just enhancing how desalination plants are operated and maintained, they are redefining what’s needed for a sustainable future.
What are the most significant barriers to wider adoption of renewable energy-powered desalination, and how might these be overcome?
Renewable energy-powered desalination currently has its limitations mainly due to the high capital cost, complex integration and intermittent supply like solar and wind.
To overcome these challenges, seeking green financing models, focus on R&D for energy storage solutions, apply digital tools like AI and digital twins to optimize performance.
As the demand for sustainable solutions grows, renewable desalination is set to become a key pillar of global water infrastructure.
Looking ahead to 2030, what fundamental shifts do you anticipate in desalination technology and implementation?
Desalination is becoming more and more the cornerstone of global water strategy.
By 2030, desalination will experience a major transformation lead by AI and digital twins, driving smart and automated operations to increase reliability and optimize energy and running cost, making safe water accessible and affordable to developing regions with limited resources, while renewable energy will be more integrated to cut emissions and increase sustainability.
More use of standard modular systems to allow scaling up and repeatability where needed, especially in remote areas.
As environmental regulations tighten, there will be more focus on circularity and brine resource recovery to reduce environmental impact.
Introducing
World of Water is a new offering global insight into studies shaping the future emerging environmental players driving change across
new regular feature in our digital magazine, into the companies, innovations, and case future of water. Each edition will report on environmental trends, product developments, and key across the sector.
Written By | GABY JESSON
If you’re in the business of sustainability and planet positive solutions - I salute you!
I’ve been working as a communications consultant for the past 30 years, now with a specific focus supporting businesses doing good things for the planet.
Leading the communication strategies for sustainable startups and events has taught me how PR led communications is sometimes misunderstood.
PR gets mixed up with marketing content. Mistakes can be made in using too much hyperbole, too little data and not enough understanding about what makes a PR story or how to connect with a target audience.
And yet the value of PR is significant. It’s known as ‘earned’ for a good reason and as a result customers trust what others say about you more than what you say about yourself.
So here’s my rapid guide to help avoid errors in communications tactics and fuel a PR and marketing toolbox that will serve you forever!
It’s easy to get carried away with over enthusiastic claims! Often business leaders feel they need to shout louder and spread the net wide to drive visibility. But its a short term gain if exaggeration is involved.
Be honest about what you are doing. Embrace humility if you’re not there yet. Your audience will be just as engaged (if not more engaged) if you are honest and transparent.
Always back up claims with evidence. Do you have proven statistics, third party certificates or survey results to back up your insights? If you have data that no one has seen before (credible surveys are good for this), you could also uncover a newsworthy PR angle!
“Customers trust what others say about you more than what you say about yourself - that’s the power of PR.
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In this age of angry climate activism, it’s easy to follow that line, attacking the status quo, with an approach that sounds negative and frustrated. . There’s always space for passion but actually think about how you can best inspire your audience to take action. Nowadays there’s fatigue for messages that tell the world how bad the climate is. Focus on your exciting innovation and how it can help your customers.
Not everyone knows the inner workings of your industry. Always think about how your innovation or technology benefits businesses or people’s lives. Not how your innovation works!. This applies for both customers and investor communications!
Any startup has a unique weapon - the founder story. I would recommend any founder finds platforms like events, blogs or podcasts to engage customers with their business. A successful business story may go far but a personal story that covers individual perspectives travels further.
Find out more about my work here https://www. prospectsociety.com/about-us and my show The Debrief on The Sustainable Founders podcast https://open.spotify. com/show/6Mvb6Jp1xxskFl6nHOLNru
Written By | LUCIANO NOVIA
Imagine a life without limescale stains, clogged pipes, or calcified household appliances and all of that without salt, electronic malfunctions, or unwanted byproducts like regeneration salt or chemically contaminated wastewater.
This vision is made possible by an innovative Swiss technology developed by Evodrop. It is the world’s only bio-based malic acid scale inhibitor, making the solution both environmentally friendly and state of the art. For its scientifically validated technological and ecological advancements, Evodrop’s system was recently recognized with two major international awards:
• The Aquatech Innovation Award 2025 in Amsterdam, one of the most prestigious prizes in the global water industry
• And the German Innovation Award 2025 in Berlin, which honors true market innovations across sectors
These accolades are part of a broader recognition: in the past few years, Evodrop has been honored with more than ten national and international awards, reflecting both technological excellence and environmental leadership.
These awards confirm what experts already recognize: this new scale inhibitor technology from Switzerland is not only sustainable, it is redefining global standards in water treatment.
Hard water is a common issue around the world. It damages coffee machines, boilers, and pipes, reduces energy efficiency, and accelerates the aging of household appliances. For decades, conventional solutions like salt-based softeners have relied on ion exchange replacing calcium and magnesium with sodium. But this approach comes at a cost: high water consumption, ongoing maintenance, environmental pollution, and altered water chemistry.
Evodrop offers a radically new solution. Its patented EVOdescale technology uses a complexed form of natural, bio-based malic acid to selectively bind carbonate ions, which are the actual cause of limescale formation. Calcium and magnesium remain in the water in their natural, health-beneficial form.
The result: the same amount of water can be treated using up to one hundred times less active agent compared to traditional salt-based systems.
Developed in Zurich, Evodrop’s technology is free from salt, harmful chemicals, and wastewater backed by thorough scientific testing. The proprietary home system delivers verified limescale protection at the highest level, is easily retrofittable, and is now poised for international expansion through OEM collaborations and strategic distribution partnerships.
Unlike TAC or catalyst systems that merely alter the crystalline structure of scale, Evodrop’s system actually removes limescale from the water with measurable results. Its core technology uses malic acid to bind carbonate ions, preventing scale buildup without changing water hardness.
In practice, this means:
No more limescale in pipes, appliances, fixtures, or water heaters while energy savings, reduced maintenance costs, and extended appliance life follow naturally.
The system was independently tested in an accredited DVGW laboratory under standard W512 and achieved the highest possible rating. While many alternative technologies reach just thirty to fifty percent effectiveness, Evodrop consistently exceeds ninety-four percent. While many alternative systems achieve effectiveness rates of only thirty to fifty percent, Evodrop goes significantly beyond with documented performance levels exceeding ninety-four percent.
Evodrop’s system requires no salt, no harmful chemicals, and no backflushing. This conserves water and makes it ideal for regions with water scarcity. Since the unit operates without electronics, even power outages pose no issue true off-grid resilience.
The housing is made from premium-grade V4A stainless steel, ensuring hygienic, durable performance for decades. For cost-sensitive markets, a polymer housing option is also available, significantly reducing upfront investment while maintaining core functionality.
Evodrop’s modular design makes it ideal for integration into existing water infrastructures. Potential OEM applications include:
• As an integrated limescale protection module in shower systems
• As an upgrade for decentralized drinking water systems
• As a protective stage for appliances like coffee machines or washing machines
• As a limescale barrier in smart home water management platforms
The modules are designed to function independently of local water pressure or hardness. No central electronics are required, and installation is quick typically one to two hours, even in existing buildings.
What is still considered an alternative today may soon become the industry standard. Removing limescale without additives aligns perfectly with modern building goals from energy efficiency to health-conscious living.
Evodrop is committed to that future backed by a dedicated research team, international patents, and a clear vision: to turn every home into a safe and protected space with clean, limescale-free water.
And for those seeking more: the optional EVOadsorb cartridge does not just remove limescale, but also filters out hormones, pesticides, pharmaceutical residues, and even PFAS and TFAS compounds making Evodrop one of the only available household-level solutions for this level of water purification.
Written By | NEDA SIMEONOVA
Wanhua Chemical is a global chemical company with a production site in the city of Yantai, within the Penglai Industrial Park. Like many cities in China, Yantai is facing a serious shortage of water, possessing a per capita water resource of just 415 cubic meters, only 20% of the country’s average level. However, with 12 districts and towns by the sea along a 1,071-kilometer coastline, Yantai boasts rich seawater resources, providing a unique opportunity for the development of seawater desalination.
To alleviate the freshwater constraints in the Penglai district, support an environmentally friendly, low-carbon chemical park, and promote sustainable operations, water supply, and community development, Wanhua signed a contract for the seawater desalination project and retained Beijing Shougang International Engineering Technology (BSIET) as the engineering design firm.
The 300,000 tons-per-day desalination project supports the Chinese government’s desalination initiatives and policies,
as well as Wanhua’s commitment to an ecofriendly chemical production model. “The project is a green and low-carbon smart seawater desalination plant,” said Huali Liu, project manager and general manager of the water business department at BSIET. Upon completion, it will provide Penglai with 90 million tons of freshwater resources annually, effectively resolving water production issues for Wanhua and the whole Penglai Industrial Park.
Located on the seashore, the project presented poor geological conditions with many buried and overhead pipelines and complicated bridge cables, making the pipeline works and overall design difficult. Compounding the site challenges were the complex desalination processes and equipment that required multiple engineering disciplines to design and coordinate. “The seawater desalination process, as a new process, involved complex process flows and up to 35 process systems, as well as complex supporting process equipment, mostly non-standard equipment, which made
design collaboration highly difficult,” explained Liu. To address these issues BSIET wanted to digitalize design and explore BIM as a potential solution.
“Based on Bentley’s platform, [we have] systematically researched the BIM design implementation system of the seawater desalination plant and solved the issues of BIM implementation, such as modeling, drawing, quantities calculation, analysis and calculation, design, collaboration, and digital delivery of design,” explained Liu. BSIET modeled the plant and equipment, as well as performed analysis to ensure the safety and reliability of the system. They implemented collaborative BIM design workflows to realize integrity and consistency of data exchange among all disciplines.
Bentley’s integrated BIM solution streamlined multidiscipline workflows and standardized the design process, improving design efficiency by 70% and shortening the design cycle. “Each discipline used a unified modeling standard and carried out model checking and model reference based on the unified DGN format, which greatly shortened the monomer design time of each discipline, thus promoting the efficiency of model integration, assembly and collision checking for all disciplines, and shortening the overall design time by more than 50%,” said Liu. Working in a connected digital modeling environment, BSIET identified and resolved 247 design conflicts, improving design quality by 80%, reducing rework and late construction modifications, and saving 10% in materials to reduce engineering waste.
BSIET completed the BIM design of the entire plant in just four months and shortened the construction period. They used Bentley’s collaborative modeling applications to continuously support green design and construction solutions, setting up 8,000 square meters of photovoltaic panels on the roof of the plant capable of generating 50,000 megawatts per hour of electricity to reduce carbon emissions by 30,000 tons a year. By modeling and analyzing the operating conditions of the process system, BSIET ensured the stability and reliability of the facility operations. The 3D models provide the foundation for intelligent digital seawater desalination operations and management.
“In the design process, we actively shared the model information with the constructor and the owner and integrated the concept of construction and operation in the design, which not only reduced the construction period and the environmental impact caused by the later-stage renovation, but also laid the foundation for the owner to build a digital and intelligent seawater desalination site,” concluded Liu.
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“We integrated construction and operation into the design - cutting time, reducing impact, and paving the way for a smart, digital desalination plant.” - Huali Liu, BSIET
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Written By | MICHAEL SILVERI
For drinking water professionals and engineers, maintaining safe and highquality water throughout the distribution system is a critical responsibility. Chlorine, the backbone of disinfection, ensures safety, but its effectiveness can falter in the complex network of pipes, tanks, and dead ends. Operators often lack real-time insight into water quality beyond the treatment plant, leaving customers vulnerable to issues like water age, nitrification, or contamination events.
These can lead to taste and odor complaints, boil water notices, or even severe health risks, such as Legionella outbreaks. Advances in sensor technology have made real-time distribution monitoring not only feasible but also practical, offering early warnings, enhanced water quality, and efficiencies. Here are nine reasons why distribution monitoring is now a technical possibility for water utilities.
Without distribution monitoring, operators are blind to conditions in the distribution network, relying on periodic grab samples that provide only snapshots of water quality. Real-time monitoring changes this by continuously
measuring critical parameters like free chlorine, monochloramine, pH, and temperature directly in pipes or tanks. This data enables early detection of pipe breaks, contamination events, or disinfection failures. For example, a sudden drop in chlorine levels could signal a breach or equipment breakdown, allowing operators to act swiftly to protect public health. By improving visibility, utilities can deliver safer water and avoid or limit boil water advisories, enhancing customer trust.
Modern sensors are elf-cleaning and do not use membranes or reagents and are ideal for remote locations. Capable of operating without maintenance or calibration for 6 to 12 months, these devices are ideal for remote or hard-to-access locations, such as rural pipelines or isolated tanks. This long-term reliability reduces labor costs and ensures consistent monitoring, eliminating the need for frequent technician visits. For utilities managing expansive distribution systems, this hands-off approach translates to labor savings and better data.
Safety and regulatory compliance are essential for materials that come in contact with drinking water. Sensors certified under NSF/ANSI 61 and Regulation 31 meet stringent safety standards, allowing direct installation in pipes or tanks without risking water quality.
Traditional monitoring systems often rely on reagents that generate waste streams, requiring dedicated drainage systems and increasing environmental impact. New sensor technologies eliminate this issue, producing no waste stream and saving approximately 230,000 liters of water per year per sensor. For utilities striving to meet sustainability goals, this zero-waste approach is a significant advantage.
Older monitoring systems require complex systems to control flow and pressure which is often impractical or impossible in distribution lines. Modern sensors are pressure- and flow-independent, delivering accurate measurements of chlorine, monochloramine, and pH even at zero flow. This capability is crucial in areas prone low or no water flow late at night.
Measuring monochloramine traditionally requires reagents or membranes, which adds complexity, maintenance, and costs. Advanced sensors now measure monochloramine directly without these components. This innovation reduces the need for consumables, lowers maintenance demands, and ensures consistent performance, making monochloramine monitoring practical for widespread use in distribution systems.
Battery-powered sensors can operate for six months or more between charges, making them suitable for remote or off-grid locations where electrical infrastructure is unavailable. This extended battery life eliminates the need for costly power installations and enables flexible deployment across diverse distribution networks. For utilities managing rural or sprawling systems, batteryoperated sensors offer a cost-effective solution for continuous monitoring. The IP68 rating makes this ideal for almost any location.
Equipped with IoT modems and cloud connectivity, modern sensors transmit real-time data to centralized platforms, enabling remote monitoring and seamless integration with Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI). This connectivity supports data-driven decisions, such as demand-based flushing to address water age or low chlorine levels. By reducing the need for truck rolls and targeting problem areas precisely, IoT-enabled sensors enhance efficiency and lower costs, all while maintaining water quality.
Modern sensors are designed for easy integration into existing infrastructure, supporting high-pressure installations via conventional wet-tap equipment and direct immersion in tanks or clear wells. This flexibility ensures compatibility with a wide range of distribution systems, from urban networks to rural pipelines.
Real-time distribution monitoring has evolved from a theoretical ideal to a practical necessity for drinking water utilities. By leveraging advanced sensor technologies, operators can reduce costs and protect public health. From maintenance-free operation and zero-waste designs to IoT integration and versatile installation, adoption of these technologies ensures safer, higher-quality water for communities.
“ “ Without real-time monitoring, operators are essentially flying blind in the distribution system. Advanced sensors now give them the eyes they need to detect issues early, respond faster, and ensure safe, high-quality water at every tap.
As freshwater scarcity intensifies and environmental regulations tighten, industrial facilities are increasingly under pressure to do more with less water. From food and beverage plants to pharmaceutical production, water is both a vital resource and a costly operational input, and the motivation to reuse it effectively has never been greater.
Water recuperation — the process of reclaiming, treating, and reusing process water within the facility — is rapidly becoming a critical tool for industrial sustainability. But as promising as it sounds, actually implementing water reuse systems comes with significant challenges.
Industrial wastewater is notoriously complex. It often contains high levels of organic matter, measured as COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) or BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand), chemical residues from cleaning agents, and persistent microbial contamination: all of which can interfere with reuse and degrade equipment performance. Systems that recirculate water are also vulnerable to biofilm buildup, corrosion, and fouling, leading to operational downtime and maintenance costs.
Traditional treatment methods can be effective but often
involve multi-step chemical dosing, intensive labor, and the generation of hazardous sludge. They may also fall short in addressing more variable or emerging contaminants.
Examples abound of companies tackling these issues head-on. Amazon, for instance, has pledged to restore more water than it uses at its data centers by 2030, incorporating watershed restoration and advanced water reuse systems into its operations. In the pharmaceutical sector, firms like Novo Nordisk are pushing for zero environmental impact through the implementation of high-efficiency treatment and recycling technologies.
One promising approach to improving industrial water reuse lies in oxidation — particularly with hydrogen peroxide. Long used in industries ranging from food processing to cooling towers, hydrogen peroxide is valued for its ability to oxidize organic compounds, control biofilms, and neutralize pathogens, all without leaving harmful byproducts.
Unlike chlorine or peracetic acid, hydrogen peroxide breaks down into water and oxygen, making it especially well-suited to applications where discharge limits and environmental impact are concerns. It is also compatible with modern filtration and membrane systems, serving as a complementary treatment rather than a disruptive one.
While hydrogen peroxide offers an elegant solution, many facilities are deterred by the logistics of chemical procurement and handling. Bulk deliveries, safety compliance, and storage all add layers of cost and complexity.
A new generation of technologies is now addressing that barrier. One such example is onsite generation systems that produce hydrogen peroxide from just water, air, and electricity. These systems allow facilities to integrate hydrogen peroxide into their water treatment loops safely and autonomously with no need for chemical deliveries or dilution.
By minimizing chemical inputs and eliminating byproducts, this approach supports both operational efficiency and regulatory compliance — while helping companies meet ambitious sustainability and ESG targets.
A leading global beverage manufacturer recently set a goal of achieving 100% circular water use by 2030. In transitioning to internal water reuse, the company encountered persistent challenges with biofilm control, especially when using conventional chemical treatments.
By shifting to an onsite hydrogen peroxide generation solution, the company was able to reduce corrosion risks, maintain consistent water quality for reuse in cooling applications, and avoid hazardous chemical inputs altogether. This contributed not only to their circular water ambitions but also to improved operational reliability and lower costs.
Water recuperation isn’t just an option — it’s becoming a necessity for forward-thinking industrial operators. As facilities seek to reduce their environmental impact while strengthening resilience, cleaner, chemical-free approaches to water reuse will play an increasingly central role.
Technologies like onsite hydrogen peroxide generation from HPNow offer one pathway forward. By eliminating chemical logistics and enabling high-performance, low-impact treatment, they support a new model of industrial water management: efficient, sustainable, and future-ready.
To learn more about HPNow’s onsite hydrogen peroxide generation technology, please go to hpnow.com
Across remote locations in the east of England, a Anglian Water is transforming how it manages sludge operations by utilising radar level sensors. With a long-term objective of producing fertiliser from sludge, having accurate, dependable monitoring in place has become a core requirement. Traditional methods were no longer cutting it — precision and consistency were needed, and the Anglian Water has found both through smart IIoT-enabled technology.
Historically, tank levels were monitored manually. This method, while serviceable at times, often lacked consistency and could be prone to error or delay. Missed or poorly timed sludge collections were a common issue, resulting in disrupted thickening schedules and inefficient plant performance. The outcome? More downtime, more reactive work, and less predictability.
Now, Anglian Water uses advanced radar level sensors — specifically, the VEGAPULS Air 41 and Air 42 — to monitor levels in sludge holding tanks. These units are mounted above the tanks and require little
to no supporting infrastructure. Designed for distances of 1 to 5 metres, they offer reliable and precise readings even in outdoor settings where ambient and slightly elevated process temperatures are common. The setup is ideal for the often-harsh and exposed conditions encountered across these isolated sites.
The radar-based approach was selected for several compelling reasons. First and foremost, installation was quick and simple, requiring minimal groundwork. Just as crucially, the sensors provided dependable, high-quality data — even under suboptimal conditions. Perhaps most valuable, however, was their ability to transmit data directly to a central cloud platform. This enabled real-time insights and visualisations accessible from any location, empowering teams to make decisions faster and with more confidence.
In areas where ATEX certification is required, the VEGAPULS Air 42 stood out as the sensor of choice for the team. Both models are currently installed on brackets above the tanks and are operating successfully in remote, open-air environments. These locations often lack strong mobile signal and on-site infrastructure, yet the sensors have proven capable of delivering accurate data consistently.
After successful pilot trials in 2022 and 2023, Anglian Water began a broader rollout of the technology in April 2024 and continues to do so today. Installation across sites has been smooth, aided by dedicated training sessions for on-site teams. With the support of the VEGA Tools App, teams were guided through the entire setup process, including how to effectively back-up and restore critical sensor data. Feedback from the team described the interface and guidance as intuitive, with the app contributing to a confident and hassle-free deployment.
As these are battery-powered IIoT devices, there was no need to invest in expensive, large-scale infrastructure at each tank site. The utility could instead roll out a reliable monitoring solution quickly and cost-effectively. This approach has not only reduced operational disruption but has significantly improved the planning and execution of sludge thickening and transport schedules.
The adoption of radar level sensors has given Anglian Water greater control and visibility across its network — helping it to reduce inefficiencies, plan smarter, and move closer to its goal of turning waste into something valuable.
If you would like to learn more about how VEGA can support your sludge monitoring needs, visit our website or email us at info.uk@vega.com
ACentral Florida hospital was expanding their new central energy plant while phasing out an older steam plant. The hospital also has been experiencing significant condensate loss, and many of the heat exchangers were experiencing higher corrosion rates. The condensate loss also caused issues of controlling the pH level, which can corrode piping and equipment. This all accumulated into additional costs due to increased water, energy, and chemical usage, which increased operational costs. This hospital was determined to improve the water quality and minimize expenses associated with water, energy, and chemical usage.
The hospital decided to partner with Kurita because of their previous work in Florida and their capabilities in technologies, engineering, and services. In 2018, Kurita
suggested using a reverse osmosis (RO) unit for the pre-existing energy plant to reduce chemical, energy, and water costs and to better treat the condensate. The hospital had reached its limited construction cost, so they were unable able to complete Kurita’s recommended RO unit.
As the new plant was being built, Kurita suggested EnergyOUT™ for the new construction, which would improve the water quality for the new steam plant. The hospital did not have any capital available for additional equipment, but the advantage of EnergyOUT is that there is no capital outlay by the customer. This provided an attractive return on investment (ROI) since it is a leasing system with service supplied by Kurita.
Kurita performed a complete system audit and worked with the customer to design the EnergyOUT system, including sizing for steam demand, while supplying engineering services on the backside. This incorporated a team of engineers and industry experts. Ultimately, the system needed to best fit the customer’s specific needs was identified.
Plants are often looking to increase their steam generation capabilities and boiler efficiency but do not have sufficient capital or budget for advanced pretreatment systems. EnergyOUT is part of a Value+ program through an operating lease that includes equipment, standard service, and chemistries for a set monthly price. For the hospital – and all other applications – the cost spent on leasing the RO unit is made up by savings in water, energy, and chemistry. In addition to money saved on chemistry and fuel savings, EnergyOUT lowers a facility’s chemical, water and energy usage, and carbon footprint. The advantage of this application was the hospital used the RO reject water to supplement cooling water makeup to conserve water.
Once the EnergyOUT program was in place, there was an immediate reduction in chemical, energy, and water usage and improvement in condensate pH control. The condensate return line treatment program consumption was reduced by 80 percent. The hospital is saving over an estimated 291,000 pounds of CO2 emissions per year. The
hospital not only has a 50 gallons per minute (gpm) RO system with no capital cost, but the lease cost is exceeded by the savings associated with the water, energy, and chemical reductions. The boiler cycles of concentration increased from 12 cycles to over 50 cycles, which resulted in a blowdown reduction of over 75 percent. The customer not only received savings to pay for the EnergyOUT program but an additional $30,000 in chemical savings as well as energy and water savings due to the lower blowdown rates. Additional results include increased heat exchanger life through better chemical control and overall lower utilities costs.
With this long-term partnership with Kurita, the hospital can expect regular maintenance from Kurita’s service team as well as daily monitoring of water quality. Currently, Kurita is also working with the hospital to increase cycles in the cooling towers with an acid trim chemical program and expanding the RO program for the boilers as the hospital expands. By continuing to partner with Kurita and employing the continuous improvement process, additional savings will be identified and implemented at the hospital.
Written By | ABBY DAVEY
Water is one of Earth’s most critical resources, yet managing it sustainably remains a significant challenge. Recent advancements from innovators like Tunley Environmental, KETOS, and industry collaborations such as Stantec and Ryan Hanley are paving the way for better water conservation and management across sectors.
Tunley Environmental’s rebranded Water Footprint Assessment Service centres on quantifying and improving water sustainability practices for businesses worldwide. With globally recognised frameworks like ISO 14046 and the EU Water Framework Directive, this service evaluates water usage across all levels, from direct consumption to supply-chain operations. This lifecycle analysis helps industries optimise resource efficiency, mitigate risks, and develop actionable water-saving strategies.
Meanwhile, KETOS is redefining water quality testing with its KETOS Environmental Lab Platform (KELP). The Californiabased lab improves access to safe water for residential, industrial, and agricultural users. By integrating AI-driven analytics and robotics, KETOS accelerates compliance checks, including PFAS testing, reducing turnaround times and offering centralised, actionable insights into water quality.
Blue Earth stands out as an inclusive platform that fosters innovation, collaboration, and optimism within the climate movement. By connecting innovators with investors, they focus on implementing practical, scalable solutions while bridging environmental expertise with business acumen. Events hosted by Blue Earth act as a "festival for the future," enabling partnerships that drive action. Their vision is rooted in shifting climate action towards a positive, unifying pursuit that benefits the planet and its people.
Stantec’s acquisition of Irish engineering consultancy Ryan Hanley highlights how partnerships can amplify impact. By joining forces, the two entities aim to tackle Ireland’s infrastructure needs while advancing water conservation, transport, and renewable energy initiatives. Prior projects like the Coolatee Constructed Wetlands and critical water pipelines showcase the collaborative prowess of this partnership, with an eye firmly fixed on sustainability.
The message is clear: addressing water sustainability isn’t just about technology; it’s about collective action and innovative solutions. Partnering with experts, integrating AI-backed systems, and investing in scalable strategies are key to mitigating the global water crisis.
Do you have an environmental innovation to share? H2O Global News welcomes your projects and ideas to spotlight the next wave of sustainable change.
EchoShore®-TX is for critical water supply lines with a lack of redundancy or history of breaks, Echologics® offers a highly accurate permanent leak detection system that can help ensure the continuous and uninterrupted supply of water
Pumping titanium dioxide, an abrasive slurry used in manufacturing, poses significant challenges for conventional pumps due to high maintenance costs and operational inefficiencies. Borger’s ONIXline rotary lobe pumps have emerged as a cost-effective solution, offering low friction, minimal pulsation, and the ability to handle high pressures up to 16 bar. The design ensures reduced downtime, with Maintenance-In-Place functionality allowing quick servicing using basic tools.
Previously, plants faced exorbitant costs for seals, with prices exceeding £2,000 in some cases. Borger addressed this by developing their own high-specification seals at a fraction of the cost, capable of handling both vacuum and pressure simultaneously. This innovation has been highly effective in demanding applications.
Borger’s pumps have also delivered results in other challenging environments, such as a water company effluent plant and a refinery handling high-viscosity substances at elevated temperatures. With compact designs and fewer wear parts, Borger’s pumps demonstrate that high reliability and efficiency can be achieved without excessive costs, proving ideal for tough industrial applications.
The Cordonel® DN150 water meter, designed for commercial and industrial use, features a unique removable measurement insert that simplifies installation and maintenance. Unlike traditional single-bodied meters, its split assembly reduces the need for multiple technicians or specialist equipment, making it safer and more costeffective to install in tight or outdoor locations.
It offers significant advantages, including shorter downtime, easy pipework access, and enhanced flexibility without compromising accuracy or performance. With an estimated 20-year lifespan, it supports applications like advanced metering, leak detection, industrial processes, and DMA data analysis.
Available from April 2025, larger models (DN200 and DN300) will follow soon after.
Nanostone Water has launched CUF|ShieldPlus™, a precision ceramic ultrafiltration solution aimed at tackling tough industrial water challenges, such as extreme fouling and chemical variability. Designed for high-demand sectors like semiconductor manufacturing, food & beverage, and pharmaceuticals, the solution ensures hygiene, consistency, and water recovery.
CEO Jürgen von Hollen highlights its potential to transform complex wastewater streams into opportunities for reuse, helping industries achieve compliance, reduce risks, and meet sustainability goals.
GF has introduced the NeoFlow Pressure Sustaining Valve (PSV) to maintain pressure balance and safeguard water networks from insufficient or negative pressure, which can cause backflow, contamination risks, and pipe damage.
Designed with an axial flow construction and polymer valve body, the NeoFlow PSV is lightweight (9 times lighter than metal alternatives), compact, and resistant to cavitation damage, offering faster installation (up to 40% quicker) and cost savings.
It features an integrated pilot valve for continuous outlet pressure regulation and supports additional monitoring of flow and water quality, making it adaptable for various applications, from reservoir level control to fully automated systems.
CERAFILTEC, a global leader in advanced ceramic membrane filtration technology, announces the appointment of Olivier Suter as Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective May 2025. This strategic addition to the executive team strengthens CERAFILTEC’s operational backbone as the company continues its moves into a phase of large-scale project execution and accelerated international growth.
“I’m excited to join CERAFILTEC at this stage of growth. The company’s vision and technology are world-class. My focus will be to ensure we build the operational foundation and production capacity needed to deliver reliably and at scale, wherever clean water is needed.”
Myers brings a proven track record of scaling SaaS-based companies that will further drive 120Water’s rapid growth and product innovation amid the need for water quality data insights and the demands of the industry’s ever-evolving regulatory landscape.
“I was immediately drawn to 120Water’s mission and the tangible impact it’s making across the water industry,” Myers said. “Clean water matters now more than ever. What Megan and the team have built is impressive — an innovative company grounded in delivering real customer outcomes. I’m thrilled to lead this team as we continue expanding the platform to help make dependable, clean water more ubiquitous — truly making water work for everyone.”
Kate Allum brings nearly three decades of board-level experience across a broad range of companies, with a strong focus on strategic transformation, operational excellence, and sustainability.
“I’ve long believed in the importance of driving responsible, sustainable business practices. Business Stream has a strong track record of combining commercial focus with social impact, and I’m looking forward to supporting the company to continue delivering value for its customers and communities.”
Frost, who has served as the organization’s vice president of economic development and innovation, was selected after an exhaustive, nationwide search. She begins her new role on June 2, after approval by the organization’s board of directors.
Frost’s elevation to executive director follows the retirement of The Water Council’s President and CEO Dean Amhaus, who led the organization for more than 15 years.
“I’m honored to lead The Water Council and continue our strong legacy of innovation and stewardship,” Frost said. “I’m grateful for Dean’s vision and leadership over the last 15 years and excited for the potential for future growth as we work to solve global water challenges.”
The Board of Directors of GF has nominated Thomas Hary as new President of GF Piping Systems, effective 1 June 2025. He succeeds Andreas Müller who has assumed the position on an interim basis alongside his role as CEO of GF.
With a career spanning three GF divisions and deep experience across a wide range of business segments, Thomas Hary brings broad market and product expertise to his new role. He possesses an in-depth understanding of GF Piping Systems, built through many years in operational and key financial leadership roles. Thomas Hary has played a pivotal role in strengthening global cooperation across GF’s international and local organizations.
Garrett brings decades of leadership experience in human resources and operations, having held senior roles at Hallmark Cards, Farmland Foods, Smithfield Foods, and most recently, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City. The addition of this role reflects Garney’s commitment to strengthening the systems that support its employee-owners and sustain the culture behind its long-term success.
“I’m honored to join Garney as its first chief people officer,” said Garrett. “This is a company with a clear sense of purpose and a strong foundation built by its employeeowners. I’m excited to support the people who make Garney what it is and to help shape the next chapter of its impact on the water industry.”
We're thrilled to announce that our next magazine will focus on WATER QUALITY —a critical topic for industries, communities, and the environment.
If you'd like to advertise or contribute an article, now's the time to get involved!
Key Topics Include:
Water Monitoring Technology
Data Analysis and Modelling
Water Treatment
Water Filtration
Environmental Management Systems
Don't miss the chance to showcase your expertise or solutions in front of a highly engaged audience.
Get in touch today to secure your spot!
Date: 8 July - 10 July | Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
IFAT Africa is a three-day event to showcase technologies and solutions for water, sewage, refuse and recycling for the sub-Saharan Africa market. The trade fair is the gateway for international companies to the African market and for African enterprises to the global market, connecting key industry players with senior buyers and decision makers in the region.
Date: 9 July - 10 July | Location: Birmingham, UK
This free-to-attend event is a global trade show dedicated to the anaerobic digestion and biogas industries, with over 150 exhibitors showcasing their products and services, two days of live presentations from industry experts and networking opportunities with key stakeholders in the sector.
Date: 24 August - 28 August | Location: Stockholm, Sweden
World Water Week is a five-day event on global water issues, organized by Stockholm International Water Institute since 1991. World Water Week is a non-profit event, co-created together with leading organizations. It offers an unusual mix of participants and perspectives, with sessions on a broad array of water-related topics, ranging from food security and health, to agriculture, technology, biodiversity, and the climate crisis.
Date: 2 September - 4 September | Location: Mexico City, Mexico
Aquatech Mexico is a three-day event for professionals, experts and investors interested in doing business in the water technology industries in the Americas.
Water supply interruptions are happening more frequently — and when they do, the cost isn’t just inconvenience. It’s lost production. Lost revenue. Lost trust.
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