Frequently Asked Questions

  • ROCHEM designs and manufactures advanced membrane-based water and wastewater treatment systems for industrial, municipal, and marine applications. Our solutions help customers reduce disposal costs, increase water recovery, meet regulatory requirements, and support water reuse initiatives.

  • ROCHEM serves a wide range of industries, including landfill operations, marine and naval vessels, aviation, power generation, oil and gas, chemical manufacturing, pharmaceutical production, food and beverage processing, aquaculture, livestock operations, and industrial water reuse applications.

  • Customers choose ROCHEM because of our:

    • Proven DTRO technology

    • More than 40 years of membrane treatment experience

    • Expertise in difficult wastewater applications

    • Highest water recovery capabilities

    • Global installation base

    • Long-term reliability and support

    • Commitment to engineering-driven solutions

  • What is PFAS?
    PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of persistent synthetic chemicals often referred to as "forever chemicals." As regulations continue to evolve, many organizations are seeking effective ways to remove PFAS from water and wastewater.

    ROCHEM's reverse osmosis and DTRO technologies are the top trusted systems worldwide for challenging PFAS treatment applications, including landfill leachate and industrial wastewater.

  • Reverse osmosis (RO) is a membrane separation process that removes dissolved salts, organic compounds, contaminants, and other impurities from water by applying pressure across a semi-permeable membrane. It is one of the most effective and widely used technologies for water purification, wastewater treatment, and water reuse.

  • Disc Tube Reverse Osmosis (DTRO) is an advanced form of reverse osmosis specifically engineered to treat high-strength wastewater streams that can be challenging for conventional membrane systems. DTRO utilizes a unique disc and tube module design that provides enhanced fouling resistance, high operating pressures, and reliable performance under demanding conditions.

  • ROCHEM engineers invented and patented the original Disc Tube Reverse Osmosis (DTRO) technology in 1982. More than four decades later, DTRO remains one of the most proven membrane technologies for treating difficult wastewater streams worldwide.

  • While conventional spiral-wound reverse osmosis systems perform well in many applications, DTRO was specifically developed for complex, high-strength wastewaters.

    Its open-flow design helps manage elevated levels of suspended solids, organic contaminants, and scaling compounds while maintaining reliable operation and high treatment performance.

  • DTRO technology has been successfully applied to a variety of challenging wastewater streams, including:

    • Landfill leachate

    • Industrial wastewater

    • PFAS-impacted water

    • Chemical process wastewater

    • Pharmaceutical wastewater

    • Concentrated brines

    • Produced water

    • Wastewater requiring high recovery or water reuse

  • Yes. Reverse osmosis is widely recognized as one of the most effective technologies for removing PFAS and other emerging contaminants from water and wastewater.

    Depending on water chemistry and system design, properly engineered RO systems can achieve exceptionally high PFAS rejection rates.

  • Reverse osmosis can significantly reduce ammonia concentrations in many wastewater applications. However, treatment performance depends on factors such as pH, ammonia speciation, and overall water chemistry.

    ROCHEM evaluates each application individually to determine the most effective treatment approach.

  • Landfill leachate treatment often involves a combination of physical, chemical, biological, and membrane-based processes. Reverse osmosis has become one of the most effective technologies for removing dissolved contaminants, reducing pollutant loading, and supporting compliance with increasingly stringent discharge requirements.

  • Landfill leachate contains high concentrations of dissolved solids, organic compounds, ammonia, heavy metals, and emerging contaminants such as PFAS. DTRO technology was specifically designed to manage these challenging conditions while delivering reliable treatment performance and high water recovery.

  • Yes. By recovering more usable water and reducing the volume of concentrate requiring disposal, reverse osmosis systems can significantly reduce hauling, discharge, and wastewater management costs. High-recovery systems often provide substantial long-term operational savings.

  • Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) is a treatment approach designed to eliminate liquid wastewater discharge by recovering usable water and concentrating the remaining waste into a manageable solid or semi-solid form. Reverse osmosis is often a critical component within ZLD treatment systems.

  • Yes. Pilot testing can help evaluate treatment performance, verify design assumptions, and reduce project risk before full-scale implementation. Pilot programs provide valuable data for system sizing, recovery optimization, and long-term operational planning.

  • Yes. ROCHEM provides technical support, system optimization, troubleshooting assistance, maintenance guidance, and aftermarket services to help customers maximize performance throughout the life of their equipment.

  • Yes. Every wastewater stream is different. ROCHEM engineers work closely with customers to develop treatment solutions tailored to specific water quality challenges, regulatory requirements, operational goals, and site constraints.

  • ROCHEM systems are designed for long-term reliability and durability. Many systems remain in operation for decades when properly maintained, reflecting the company's focus on robust engineering, quality components, and lifecycle performance.