The malta seawater RO facility

Abstract The Polymetrics seawater reverse osmosis (RO) facility at Ghar Lapsi, Malta, is one of the largest seawater RO plants in the world, with an installed capacity of 20,000 m 3 /d (5.3 U.S. mgd). A second plant, provided under the same contract, has a capacity of 4,500 m 3 /d (1.2 U.S. mgd), utilizing highly brakish feedwater. The plants supply potable water for the island's 350,000 residents and its growing tourist trade. The seawater plant is a single pass design, utilizing DuPont permeators and is the first major installations incorporating energy recovery turbo-pumps. This paper summarizes the plant design, manufacture, assembly, and installation, and also reports up-to-date operation and maintenance data. The operating costs are presented.