BOSTON, Oct. 28, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Desalitech, a provider of high efficiency water treatment solutions, announced that desalination and membrane expert Dr. Menachem Elimelech will now serve as a company advisor. Elimelech is a Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at Yale University, former Chair of Yale's Chemical and Environmental Engineering Department and founder of Yale's Environmental Engineering Program, for which he continues to serve as director. He will work with Desalitech to help increase water recovery efficiency, reduce energy consumption and maximize membrane performance in their already exceptionally efficient reverse osmosis (RO) systems.

With industry responsible for nearly 60% of all freshwater withdrawals in the U.S. and other developed countries and with increased frequency of water shortage crises globally, efficient industrial water treatment and wastewater reuse is essential. While traditional reverse osmosis systems typically extract 75% or less of a water supply, Desalitech's ReFlex RO systems can achieve up to 98% recovery, reducing waste by 50 to 75%. The patented process also typically reduces energy consumption by 35%. By replacing a 900 gallon per minute traditional RO system with ReFlex RO system, over 130 million gallons, enough for over 375,000 people can be saved every year, which translates to an annual savings of over $1.5 million of water, wastewater and energy costs.

"Industry is highly aware of the financial and environmental implications of energy inefficiency. However, in terms of water and wastewater costs and impacts, industry is as inefficient as it was 20 years ago. This must change and Desalitech is finally enabling this change," said Desalitech CEO, Nadav Efraty. "With many global corporate customers and leading water integration partners already using our products, the addition of Professor Elimelech, one of the most prominent leaders in water academia, will be hugely beneficial to our efforts moving forward and is an acknowledgement of the critical importance of facilitating a more efficient water future."

Professor Elimelech's research is in the general area of the water-energy nexus. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. Elimelech received numerous awards for his outstanding research contributions, including election to the US National Academy of Engineering and the Clarke Prize for excellence in water research. He served as Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UCLA prior to coming to Yale in 1998 and has advised 33 Ph.D. students and 26 postdoctoral researchers, many of whom hold leading positions in academia and industry.

"Desalination and water reuse are the only methods available to increase water supply. Desalitech's mission is to improve people's lives and the environment with increased water treatment efficiency," said Professor Elimelech. "I am pleased to join Desalitech's advisory board and look forward to guiding the company as it pursues this mission."

"Desalitech is exceedingly proud to be joined by the esteemed Professor Elimelech. His track record of innovation, particularly in the field of reverse osmosis, will be a tremendous asset for Desalitech," said Rick Stover, Executive Vice President of Desalitech.

About Desalitech:

Desalitech provides high efficiency water treatment for industrial, agricultural and wastewater reuse and concentration applications. Our next-generation ReFlex™ Reverse Osmosis products feature patented CCD™ technology – a highly efficient, reliable and flexible water treatment platform. The CCD process typically reduces waste by 50 to 75 percent and energy consumption by up to 35 percent, saving significant operating costs. Desalitech is proud to be headquartered in Newton, MA and manufactures its products in the USA.