IDE Technologies Rice WaTER Institute collaboration will focus on accelerating the development and deployment of advanced water treatment solutions, combining commercial expertise with academic research capabilities.
IDE Technologies and Rice University’s Water Technologies Entrepreneurship and Research (WaTER) Institute have announced a strategic partnership aimed at advancing solutions in desalination, brine management, PFAS treatment and resource recovery.
IDE Technologies Rice WaTER Institute collaboration targets next-generation treatment
The IDE Technologies Rice WaTER Institute collaboration brings together IDE’s global experience in large-scale desalination and industrial water treatment with the WaTER Institute’s multidisciplinary research expertise.
The partnership will focus on joint research, knowledge sharing and commercialisation of emerging technologies, with particular emphasis on addressing complex water challenges linked to scarcity, contamination and climate resilience.
Initial work will support the advancement of IDE’s existing wastewater treatment technologies, including the Max H2O Desalter and PFRO systems, alongside research into advanced desalination methods such as LSRRO and new approaches to PFAS destruction and brine resource recovery.
Bridging research and real-world deployment
A key component of the collaboration will be the establishment of an IDE testbed system within the WaTER Institute. This facility will enable real-world testing, data generation and validation of emerging technologies under controlled research conditions.
The partnership also includes collaboration across techno-economic analysis, laboratory testing, manufacturing and market development, with the aim of accelerating the transition from research to commercial deployment.
In addition, the initiative will support knowledge exchange through placements for students, doctoral researchers and postdoctoral scientists, as well as opportunities for industry professionals to engage with academic research.
Eric Willman, Executive Director of the WaTER Institute, said the collaboration would help ensure research is focused on solving real-world challenges by working closely with industry.
Pedro J.J. Alvarez, Director of the WaTER Institute, added that combining academic innovation with operational expertise would enable faster deployment of scalable water technologies.
Addressing global water challenges through collaboration
The collaboration reflects a broader trend towards closer partnerships between academia and industry in tackling global water challenges. Issues such as water scarcity, contamination from emerging pollutants like PFAS, and the need for resource recovery are driving demand for integrated, scalable solutions.
By combining engineering expertise with research innovation, partnerships like this aim to improve the efficiency, sustainability and resilience of water treatment systems worldwide.
For more on desalination and advanced treatment technologies, visit our Water Treatment section.
