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Reverse Osmosis Plant in Pembroke

Educational Outing

Sun 18 May 2008

On 15th. May 2008, the Form 3 Chemistry students accompanied by Mr R Cassar and Ms A Vella, visited the Reverse Osmosis plant situated in Pembroke.

As we arrived, an employee with Water Services Corporation led us around the plant and explained the concept of Reverse Osmosis. This process is best known for its use in desalination. (the removal of salt from sea water to turn into fresh water).

Reverse Osmosis (RO) is a separation process that uses pressure to force a solution through a membrane that retains the solute on one side and allows the pure solvent to pass to the other side. Technically, it is the process of forcing a solvent from a region of high solute concentration through a membrane to a region of low solute concentration by applying a pressure in excess of the osmotic pressure. This is the reverse of the normal osmosis process, which is the natural movement of solvent from an area of low solute concentration, through a membrane, to an area of high solute concentration when no external pressure is applied . The membrane here is semi permeable, meaning it allows the passage of solvent but not of solute.

Malta’s newest Reverse Osmosis Plant in Pembroke, on the island’s northeastern coast, along with another two such plants, produces 57 per cent of the island’s drinking water. If it wasn’t for these plants, Malta would be faced with huge fresh water shortage.

Michael Grech
Form 3A