Salinity Solutions: breakthroughs in water treatment
Salinity Solutions was founded in 2021 to commercialise a technology hailed as the most significant breakthrough in water treatment in 50 years.
Steve Dunn, Commercial Director Richard Bruges, CEO Jim Gilroy, Head of Marketing Liam Burlace, Development Engineer Tim Naughton, Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer Jonathan Grylls, Electrical Engineering Manager
The innovation stems from over a decade of research at Aston University and the University of Birmingham, driven by Professor Philip Davies. Having witnessed firsthand the challenges of water scarcity and the inefficiencies of traditional desalination, Professor Davies was driven to find a more effective solution. A common method for water purification, Reverse Osmosis (RO), relies on high- pressure water passing through a semi-permeable membrane to remove contaminants.
Professor Davies redesigned and optimised this process, creating a high-efficiency system that promised to halve energy consumption compared to existing RO. He and his student, Tim Naughton developed the first full-scale prototype – a portable, stand-alone, system with the potential to transform water treatment.
Our challenge was to tackle two of the world’s most urgent issues: the rising demand for fresh water and the high energy cost of treatment. We wanted to develop a solution that makes wastewater treatment far more efficient and sustainable.
From Lab to Market
In 2019, the team began market validation and secured funding for a second prototype. By 2020, they partnered with Clean Engineering, an early-stage investor that provided seed funding. In 2021, Salinity Solutions was officially launched as a spin-out company. Recognising the broad potential of their system, the company initiated field trials across multiple industries:
- Mineral Extraction – A trial with a mineral extraction company demonstrated the efficiency and low energy use of Salinity’s technology in real-world conditions.
- Municipal Wastewater Treatment – The system reduced phosphates and nitrates, curbing algae overgrowth and helping to restore waterways for aquatic life.
- Vertical Farming – In collaboration with GrowUp Farms, Salinity’s technology purified wastewater to the highest food safety standards, enabling water reuse in one of the UK’s most water-stressed regions.
Tim Naughton demonstrates the company's water treatment technology. Credit: Joe Bailey
We set out to create a game-changing technology that dramatically cuts the energy use of water treatment. By improving efficiency and reducing environmental impact, we’re helping to increase water availability while lowering the carbon footprint of the entire process.
Global Expansion and Industry Adoption
Beyond the UK, Salinity Solutions has gained traction internationally:
- Chile – Investment secured from a leading lithium producer exploring sustainable water solutions for mining.
- Global Environmental Services – A pilot agreement signed with an industry leader in wastewater treatment.
- Japan – A recent order from Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation (TISS), which will integrate Salinity’s energy-efficient batch purification technology into its water treatment solutions.
With its cutting-edge, patented technology and commitment to sustainability, Salinity Solutions is set to revolutionise water treatment worldwide.