During the webinar How Filtralite can enhance your biological wastewater and drinking water filtration process, organized by Filtralite and Smart Water Magazine, Mohammed Kastawy, Area Sales Manager for Filtralite in the Middle East and Egypt, delivered an insightful presentation on increasing water treatment efficiency using Filtralite solutions. Kastawy introduced Filtralite, a lightweight and porous filter media developed by Saint-Gobain, and emphasized its operational savings and superior performance compared to traditional materials such as sand or anthracite.
“A traditional filter media typically consists of sand or anthracite, or a combination of the two, forming mono-media or dual-media filters,” he explained. “Filtralite, on the other hand, stands out with its high porosity compared to conventional options. While standard media like sand may need replacement every 4 to 5 years, Filtralite can operate for up to 25 years without replacement, maintaining its quality throughout its lifespan.” Kastawy highlighted key features of Filtralite, including its ability to achieve filtration rates of up to 20 m/h, reduce head loss, and enhance sludge retention — benefits that contribute to lower operating and maintenance costs.
Drawing on real-world data, Kastawy showcased Filtralite’s exceptional performance in municipal and industrial applications, noting its ability to outperform traditional media in terms of head loss and sludge management by up to 200 times. "Filtralite provides significant OPEX benefits. Its high porosity reduces the need for backwashes by 2 to 4 times while also enabling higher filtration velocities, allowing more water to be processed in the same amount of time," he shared. Additionally, he explained how Filtralite supports sustainable water management by reducing fouling in reverse osmosis (RO) systems, extending membrane lifespan, and requiring fewer filtration cells, which minimizes infrastructure costs.
