The Foshan Jialida Dyeing Minimal Liquid Discharge (MLD) project in China has received the Industrial Water Project of the Year award at the 2025 Global Water Awards, presented by Global Water Intelligence. The project integrates several membrane-based technologies supplied by DuPont Water Solutions, including FilmTec Reverse Osmosis (RO) and Nanofiltration (NF) elements, as well as IntegraTec Ultrafiltration (UF) modules.
MLD Project in the Textile Sector
The Foshan Jialida facility represents an MLD implementation in the textile industry by implementing advanced water treatment technologies to help transform the textile wastewater into a valuable resource of both water and salt. The plant treats dyeing wastewater to recover both water and dissolved salts for reuse. According to project stakeholders, the facility achieves daily water recovery of up to 142,000 m³, along with the reclamation of approximately 1,000 m³ of sodium chloride brine and 200 metric tons of Glauber’s salt. Reportedly, this approach has enabled a reduction in the textile factory’s annual water consumption by 46.86 million m³ and cut salt purchases by 66,000 tons per year.
“We’re thrilled to congratulate Foshan Jialida on winning the Industrial Project of the Year, and it was an honor to accept this award on their behalf at the Global Water Awards. This award-winning project underscores our commitment to supporting our customers with advanced technologies that enable compliance to stringent wastewater management requirements while minimizing environmental and cost impacts”, said Verónica García Molina, Global Marketing Leader for Industrial Water & Energy at DuPont Water Solutions.
MLD as an Alternative to Traditional ZLD
Industrial users are increasingly evaluating alternatives to zero liquid discharge (ZLD) processes due to their high energy requirements and operational costs. The MLD strategy aims to bridge the gap, using membrane technologies to maximize recovery rates while lowering energy consumption compared to thermal ZLD systems.
By adopting UF, RO, and NF in an MLD process, the plant seeks to address challenges related to water scarcity, rising water costs, and regulatory demands, while also recovering valuable materials from industrial wastewater.
Global Application of DuPont Membrane Technologies
DuPont Water Solutions reports that its technologies are used to treat over 50 million gallons (approximately 19,000 m³) of water per minute across 112 countries. The company’s membrane and resin portfolio is deployed in municipal water treatment municipalities, seawater desalination plants, and industrial water users, including sectors such as the microelectronics industry.
