Filtralite: a proven path to higher efficiency and profitability in water treatment
On July 3, 2025, Smart Water Magazine, in collaboration with Filtralite®, hosted a webinar that drew water professionals from around the world to explore how advanced filter media can transform plant efficiency and profitability. The session, titled Increase the profit in your plant with Filtralite, featured a comprehensive presentation by Truls Klavestad, International Sales Manager for the Nordics, UK, and Asia at Filtralite, who shared both technical insights and real-world success stories.
Cristina Novo, Technical Editor at Smart Water Magazine, opened the event by underlining the challenges utilities face today: rising demand for clean water, tighter sustainability targets, and the need to reduce operational costs—all without expensive infrastructure upgrades. Against this backdrop, she introduced Filtralite as an innovative filter media, made from expanded clay, that delivers longer filtration cycles, fewer backwashes, and lower energy consumption.
Novo highlighted that Filtralite is already deployed in more than 500 installations across 50 countries, from drinking water and wastewater facilities to desalination pre-treatment. She then welcomed Truls Klavestad, whose 14 years of experience with Saint-Gobain and Leca have made him a key advocate of filtration innovation.
How Filtralite works
Klavestad began with a clear explanation of what sets Filtralite apart. Using clay processed in high-temperature kilns, the media expands like popcorn, creating a unique porous structure. This porosity is the foundation of its performance: it retains more suspended solids, reduces head loss, and supports both physical and biological filtration.
As Klavestad noted, replacing sand or anthracite with Filtralite requires no structural modifications. Operators simply remove the old media and load the new one. The only adjustment necessary is to reduce the speed of the backwash pump to account for the lighter density of the material—a change that also reduces energy consumption. “Filtralite is probably the best filter material in the world,” Klavestad remarked.
Three ways to boost profitability
Klavestad organized his talk around three levers through which Filtralite increases plant profitability:
1. Increased production – Thanks to higher filtration velocities, plants can process more water within the same infrastructure. Studies have shown that Filtralite filters can run up to five times longer between backwashes than sand filters.
2. Reduced operating costs – With fewer backwash cycles, plants save both water and energy, translating into operational savings. Klavestad emphasized that many clients have seen a return on investment in less than three years, and in some cases within just six months.
3. Reduced footprint – For new plants or expansions, using Filtralite allows designers to cut the number of filtration cells required by up to 50%, significantly lowering capital costs and land use.
Real-world references
Klavestad’s presentation was rich with case studies, showing how utilities worldwide have turned to Filtralite to overcome pressing challenges:
- Thames Water, UK – Facing algae-driven clogging that limited output, the utility replaced sand and anthracite with dual-layer Filtralite. The change doubled filtration rates and saved £10,000 per filter annually in energy and backwash costs.
- Palmachim desalination plant, Israel – By replacing the filter media, the plant boosted filtration rates from 7 to 12 m/h, extended filter runs from 30 to 200 hours, and cut cartridge filter costs by €300,000 annually.
- Bedřichov, Czech Republic – Although production capacity was sufficient, operators adopted Filtralite to cut costs. The switch enabled them to run fewer filters while saving 75% in energy for backwashing, with payback achieved in just over two years.
- Oslo, Norway – A wastewater treatment plant has been operating with the same Filtralite media since 1994, a testament to the material’s longevity and durability.
“Instead of backwashing the sand filter once a day, you can backwash the filter with Filtralite every five days”
Klavestad pointed out that beyond operational savings, Filtralite supports biological filtration processes. Its porous structure creates what he called “a five-star hotel for bacteria”, enabling efficient removal of ammonia, iron, and manganese. In trials, Filtralite achieved ammonia removal rates of up to 97.5% and reduced iron to near undetectable levels.
Versatility and certifications
Another key advantage highlighted was the versatility of Filtralite. It can be used in all types of filters—pressure, gravity, vertical, or horizontal—and is certified for drinking water use by NSF and European authorities. This makes it a safe, adaptable option for both municipal and industrial clients.
“Because of how Filtralite’s high porosity, it's a perfect material for the bacteria” Klavestad emphasized, noting that this property allows the media to excel in both physical and biological applications.
A lively Q&A
The concluding Q&A session reflected the strong interest of an international audience, and highlighted Filtralite’s versatility across a wide range of water treatment challenges. Participants raised questions on everything from nitrate and ammonia removal to comparisons with activated carbon, as well as practical issues like media durability and installation methods.
“Because of Filtralite’s high porosity, it's a perfect material for bacteria”
Klavestad emphasized Filtralite’s strengths in biological filtration. Its highly porous structure allows it to act, in his words, as “a five-star hotel for the bacteria,” enabling efficient removal of contaminants such as ammonia, iron, and manganese. In some trials, Filtralite achieved ammonium removal of up to 97.5%, while iron was reduced to nearly undetectable levels.
On comparisons with granular activated carbon (GAC), he acknowledged that GAC can provide an initial advantage due to its chemical adsorption sites. However, he underlined that in the long term Filtralite consistently outperforms because it is a durable, inert media that does not require regeneration, while also offering excellent support for biofilm growth.
Attendees also asked about specific applications such as arsenic removal. Klavestad clarified that while standard Filtralite is not intended for this use, the company offers specialized variants and complementary products, and highlighted that in most mainstream drinking water and wastewater applications, Filtralite delivers proven results.
Filtralite enables higher performance, lower operating costs, and long-lasting value for utilities worldwide
Practical questions on installation and maintenance further underscored its user-friendly profile. Klavestad explained that Filtralite is easy to load, can be used in all filter types, and resists attrition with less than 1% wear per year even under demanding wastewater backwash conditions. Because it is lighter than sand, it requires less energy to backwash, delivering additional cost savings.
The exchange with participants demonstrated Filtralite’s credibility as a trusted solution: certified for drinking water use, adaptable to different system designs, and proven in long-term operations. Across all questions, Klavestad reinforced the same key point: Filtralite enables higher performance, lower operating costs, and long-lasting value for utilities worldwide.
Closing thoughts
In his final remarks, Klavestad reiterated the central message of the session: Filtralite offers a straightforward, proven way to improve water quality, lower costs, and increase capacity—delivering more water for less cost. “Filtralite will quickly help improve water quality and increase the profit in your plant”, he concluded.
Novo wrapped up the webinar by thanking Klavestad and the audience, reminding participants that the recording would be available on-demand and encouraging them to claim their certificates of attendance.
The session highlighted how an engineered material can make a profound difference in addressing global water challenges. From Europe to the Middle East, utilities are finding in Filtralite not just a replacement for sand or anthracite, but a step-change solution that helps them do more with less.