ROTEC’s Flow Reversal RO (FR-RO) technology has made international headlines in Water Desalination Report. The publication spotlighted ROTEC’s project at the City of Santa Monica’s Arcadia Water Treatment Facility, where FR-RO boosted recovery from 83% to 90% while reducing specific energy consumption from , from 1.09 kWh/kgal  [0.29 kWh/m3 ] to 0.95 kWh/kgal [0.25 kWh/m3]. Designed by Brown and Caldwell and delivered by Walsh under a $72 million progressive design-build, the retrofit transformed the city’s primary water source-improving quality, cutting costs, and extending membrane life. As Sunny Wang, Santa Monica’s Water Resources Manager, noted, “The new system’s water production costs are about $1,000 per acre-foot ($0.81/m³), while imported water costs are $1,400 and climbing every year.” It’s the first full-scale municipal FR-RO project in the U.S., setting a new benchmark for sustainable water reuse and operational efficiency. 

A huge thank-you to the incredible team at the City of Santa Monica, Brown and Caldwell, and Walsh Group for their partnership and vision in making this milestone a reality. Together, we’ve proven how innovation and collaboration can redefine what’s possible for municipal water treatment-delivering higher recovery, lower OPEX, and a more sustainable future for urban water resilience. 

Learn more about the project and how it is enabling Santa Monica to achieve water independence