SWRO (Seawater Reverse Osmosis): The Technology Behind Israel's Water Security
Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) is the dominant industrial desalination technology. Israel operates one of the world's largest SWRO networks — five major plants supplying 80%+ of municipal water. IDE Technologies and Mekorot built the model the world now buys.
Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) is the dominant industrial desalination technology, using high-pressure membrane filtration to remove dissolved salts from seawater and produce potable freshwater. SWRO has become the global standard for large-scale desalination because energy efficiency improvements over the past two decades have reduced the energy intensity of seawater desalination to approximately 3-4 kilowatt-hours per cubic meter — making it economically viable at municipal scale.
Israel operates one of the world's largest SWRO desalination networks, with five major plants (Sorek, Hadera, Ashkelon, Palmachim, Sorek B) supplying more than 80% of municipal water demand. Israeli companies IDE Technologies and Mekorot have exported SWRO design and operations globally, including the world's largest SWRO plant at Sorek. Israeli desalination capacity is now structural water-security infrastructure rather than a marginal supply.
Full context: Israel Solved Water. Now It Sells the Answer.
