• Innovative technology, sound governance are keys to solving world water challenge
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Sept. 29, 2008 -- Improvements in technology that lower the cost of desalination coupled with cooperation among key government and environmental NGO entities are critical in helping to make desalination a more cost-efficient method of turning salt water into affordable potable water. Speaking to a group of water industry decision-makers at a leadership roundtable event on the eve of the opening of Aquatech Amsterdam 2008, Ian Barbour, general manager of Dow Water Solutions (DWS), a business unit of the Dow Chemical Company, reinforced that the world's water challenges can be solved through technology, sound management and pricing policies, cooperation of the public and private sectors, and education.
"Desalination represents a tremendous opportunity for achieving an affordable, sustainable water supply in many regions of the world," Barbour said. "Since 1985, Dow has been focused on desalination and further driving down the cost of water through more fuel-efficient reverse osmosis (RO) membranes and other technologies. Still, we know that the ultimate success is dependent on cooperation among governments, NGOs, humanitarian organizations and other entities."
Dow also embraces the United Nations Millennium Development Goal to halve the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water by 2015. Barbour participated in the industry roundtable, "Cost and Benefits of Desalination," sponsored by the International Water Association (IWA) and Aquatech Amsterdam (RAI), which draws thousands of professionals from all sectors of the water industry.
As the world's leading supplier of RO membranes, Dow's technology is a part of the world's largest desalination projects, such as Ashkelon, Israel, Perth, Australia, and Tampa Bay, USA, as well as several under construction. Over the years, improvements in Dow's FILMTEC™ RO membranes have provided a threefold increase in the volume of treated water while reducing energy requirements, helping to lower the cost of desalinated water production by as much as 20 percent.
At its booth (#1617) at Aquatech Amsterdam this week, DWS is showcasing new technologies for reverse osmosis (RO) seawater desalination in addition to home water drinking, ion exchange, ultrafiltration and electrodeionization.
Dow Water Solutions is a performance-based business unit comprised of leading world-class brands and enabling component technologies designed to advance the science of water purification around the world, including seawater desalination, contaminant removal and water reuse.
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