In the UAE today, major water bottle companies heavily rely on Reverse Osmosis (RO) desalination to source potable water, which they package and distribute nationwide. While RO is considered a more sustainable and eco-friendly method for obtaining clean water, it remains energy-intensive and often requires multiple filtration passes to achieve potability. This underscores the importance of seeking more eco-friendly alternatives. This is where Wisewell comes into the picture.
Sourcing of Potable Water in the UAE
Given its limited natural water resources and the substantial increase in demand for potable water (as reported in the 2015 State of Energy report, with a 35.8% rise from 2008 to 2012), the UAE heavily relies on desalination as a cornerstone of its water purification efforts. Currently, the country operates 70 major desalination plants, which collectively meet 42% of its total water needs. Desalination processes primarily involve either thermal distillation, where saltwater is evaporated and condensed into freshwater, or reverse osmosis (RO), which utilizes semipermeable membranes to separate salts and impurities from water. While both methods are utilized, RO has emerged as the predominant process in the UAE.
RO Desalination Process
An RO desalination plant follows a systematic approach to ensure thorough purification of saltwater:
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Extraction and Pretreatment:
Initially, saltwater is extracted from a nearby water source and undergoes several steps to remove impurities. This includes passing through trash racks and traveling screens to eliminate debris present in the ocean water. Subsequently, the water is filtered through a multimedia gravity filter designed to capture particles larger than 10 micrometers (0.00001 meters). This step is crucial to protect the high-pressure pumps used later in the process. Depending on the specific characteristics of the feed water, additional treatments such as chlorination, coagulation, acid addition, multimedia filtration, micron cartridge filtration, and dechlorination may also be employed.
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Pressurization:
Osmosis is a naturally occurring process in which water moves through a semipermeable membrane from the region with lower solute concentration to that of higher solute concentration, to reverse that process pressure is needed to push the salt water through the membrane and filter it, moving it from the region of high salt concentration to the one with the lower salt concentration, effectively ridding the water from all unwanted chemicals. The optimal osmotic pressure typically ranges between 5500 to 7000 kPa. For less concentrated brackish water, the required osmotic pressure falls between 1500 to 2500 kPa. These varying pressure requirements are dictated by the specific concentration levels of the input feed water.
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Membrane Separation
After being pressurized, the feed saltwater flows through a specialized membrane designed to endure the pressure drop that occurs as water passes through it. This process yields desalinated water and an undesirable brine stream (as illustrated below). Despite reverse osmosis (RO) being highly effective, it isn't completely efficient. A small percentage of salt can pass through the membrane and remain in the product stream, necessitating additional post-treatment procedures.
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Post Treatment
After passing through the membrane, the product water undergoes post-treatment, including pH adjustment, dissolved gas removal, and disinfection. According to Lenntech, a water treatment company, Reverse Osmosis permeate typically has a slightly acidic pH, with Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) ranging from 70 to 350 mg/L, and specific concentrations of calcium, magnesium, and boron depending on raw water conditions. These levels are not yet suitable for drinking, processing, or irrigation. To achieve potable water standards, a second pass through the RO process is often necessary to further reduce sodium chloride and boron concentrations. After this second pass, calcium and magnesium concentrations approach zero, meeting drinking water quality requirements.
The Problem with RO Desalination
While RO is considered one of the better ways to clean salt water it is in general very wasteful and costly. It is estimated that, on average, 5 gallons of water are wasted to produce 1 gallon of clean drinking water. In more severe cases, this ratio can be as high as 10 gallons wasted for every 1 gallon obtained. Usually that ratio is dependent on the type of membrane utilized in the RO process. The leftover water, known as "brine," is typically discharged back into the ocean. According to Lenntech, a leading desalination company, this method of disposal poses a significant environmental concern that warrants careful consideration and study during the installation of desalination plants. The brine concentration ranges from 50 to 75 g/L and is denser than seawater, causing it to settle near the brine outfall (known as the plume effect), creating a very 
salty layer which can be harmful to the marine flora. In addition to its wasteful nature the RO process requires a lot of energy to extract and pressurize the feed water, it is estimated that on average an RO plant consumes about 3 to 10 kWh of electricity to produce one cubic meter of freshwater from seawater.
The Alternative Wisewell Proposes
Purchasing the Wisewell Model 1 water filter presents a compelling alternative to buying bottled water sourced from traditional desalination plants. Unlike typical RO desalination plants, which can be wasteful, harmful to marine life and energy-intensive, Wisewell recycles part of the wastewater so that, on average, for every 3-4 gallons of fresh water produced, only 1 gallon of wastewater is discarded. Significantly reducing water wastage by converting 75% of the tap water used into clean and drinkable water whereas in traditional water plants only 20% of the saltwater is turned into drinkable water which makes the model 1 filters 300% more efficient than traditional water purification techniques.
Moreover, Wisewell's Model 1 cuts down on energy consumption. Traditional RO desalination plants consume substantial amounts of electricity to yield water that either needs to be reprocessed or furthermore treated to make it drinkable. In contrast, Wisewell's innovative design consumes less energy, 2170 W for heated water and 100 W for room temp water, contributing to reduced environmental impact and lower operational costs.
In summary, investing in Wisewell's Model 1 water filter not only provides a sustainable source of clean drinking water but also contributes to conserving water resources and reducing energy consumption compared to bottled water sourced from traditional desalination plants. By making this choice, individuals can actively support a greener and more sustainable future.
References
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https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/environment-and-energy/water-and-energy/water-
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https://aquaanalytic.ae/water-purification-methods-in-the-uae/#:~:text=Desalination%20%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Mainstay%20of%20UAE's,and%20reverse%20osmosis%20(R%20O)
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https://sites.pitt.edu/~budny/papers/8117.pdf
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https://www.csun.edu/~vchsc006/356b/ro.html#:~:text=Osmosis%20is%20water%20mov%20ing%20through,the%20water%20entering%20the%20system
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https://www.lenntech.com/processes/desalination/brine/general/brine-disposal.htm#:~:tex%20t=Brine%20disposal%20is%20a%20real,via%20a%20brine%20outfall%20pipe.%206.%20https://www.epa.gov/watersense/point-use-reverse-osmosis-systems#:~:text=While%20R%20O%20systems%20can%20improve,every%20gallon%20of%20permeate%20produced.%207.%20https://www.cruiserowaterandpower.com/reverse-osmosis-filtration-system/#:~:text=Sinc%20e%20its%20inception%2C%20reverse%20osmosis,meter%20of%20freshwater%20from%20%20seawater
