As water utilities and industrial operators face increasing pressure from climate change, water scarcity and source water volatility, desalination and water reuse are becoming increasingly important tools in long-term water management strategies.
Greg Newbloom, CEO & Founder of Membrion.
In this H2O Global News Expert Opinion, Greg Newbloom, CEO & Founder of Membrion, shares his insights on the growing role of desalination and water reuse, advances in membrane technology, and the challenges associated with membrane fouling.
Why Are Desalination and Water Reuse Now Viewed as “Core” Water Supply Strategies?
Changes in the environment have led to unreliability in the quantity and quality of our water sources. When water sources become unpredictable, it drives industry and utilities to make the most of their water. Desalination plays a critical role in stabilizing source water volatility by supplementing existing supplies with water drawn from previously unusable sources, such as seawater or brackish groundwater. Water reuse addresses quality volatility by treating and repurposing wastewater to a standard fit for its intended use. Together, these strategies reduce dependence on rainfall and surface water, providing a more reliable, climate-resilient supply. As a result, we can expect more operators to seek out desalination and water reuse technologies to overcome source volatility.
What Membrane Advances Are Improving Desalination Performance Today?
Membranes have historically been effective but inherently delicate, and require frequent cleaning, servicing and replacement to function properly. In response, most of today’s membrane advancements focus on durability and resilience. For facilities looking to improve their desalination systems, more durable membranes lead to more economical systems through reduced maintenance and membrane replacement needs.
What Are the Main Causes of Membrane Fouling—and Why Does It Matter?
The main causes of membrane fouling are highly dependent on the water flowing through them. Like substances attract, and over time material buildup can impact a membrane’s ability to filter water. For example, in water with high organic content, dissolved organic carbon and similar compounds accumulate on the membrane surface. This accumulation then needs to be cleaned off, resulting in a greater need for maintenance. Also, most membranes are made from organic materials and as a result organic things like to stick to them. This means that the membrane needs to be cleaned more often in water with an abundance of organic material.
Water with an abundance of inorganic materials faces similar challenges. As water is removed from a waste stream and ions become more concentrated, an environment is created that can allow something that was very stable in water, like salts to precipitate out. Once that occurs, this precipitate adds to the fouling load the membrane must handle.
About Greg Newbloom
Greg Newbloom is CEO & Founder of Membrion, a company focused on advanced membrane technology for challenging industrial wastewater and water treatment applications.
For more information, visit membrion.com.
Read more H2O Global News coverage on water treatment, water quality and wastewater management.
