From ancient insight to global infrastructure, the evolution of a technology that now delivers water to millions worldwide

There is a gesture as old as thirst itself: looking at the sea and imagining that its water could become drinkable. Desalination stems from this simple and universal idea—one that spans millennia.

As early as the 4th century BCE, Aristotle observed that seawater loses its salt when it evaporates. Long before that, however, this principle had already been put into practice: in Pyrgos, Cyprus, an ancient still bears witness to attempts to obtain fresh water from the sea more than 4,000 years ago. For centuries, poised between observation and ingenuity, desalination remained a matter of survival.

With the modern age, intuition gave way to design. Studied by Leonardo da Vinci, distillation found practical application during the great naval explorations, when producing fresh water on board became essential. In the 18th century, the discovery of osmosis opened a new paradigm, while the Industrial Revolution enabled a true leap in scale: desalination became an industrial process. After World War II, innovation accelerated. Reverse osmosis emerged as the dominant technology, making the process more efficient and accessible. From an emergency solution, desalination evolved into a strategic infrastructure.

Today: a rapidly expanding global resource

Today, desalination is far more than a response to water scarcity: it is a fast-growing global industry, increasingly central to water security strategies. The desalination systems market has already reached an estimated value of USD 19.6 billion and is expected to approach USD 30 billion by 2031, supported by steady growth driven by structural factors such as rising water demand, urbanization, and the increasingly evident effects of climate change (Desalination System Market Analysis | Industry Report, Size & Forecast).

The Middle East and North Africa remain at the core of the global market, but growth is increasingly extending to other regions – from the United States to Australia and the Mediterranean – where desalination is consolidating its role as a strategic infrastructure. In this context, turning seawater into drinking water can no longer be considered an emergency option; it must become a structural component of future water systems.

A century of water engineering: the role of Fisia Italimpianti

Within this context, Fisia Italimpianti stands out as one of the international leaders in water management, with experience spanning a century of technological and industrial evolution.

Over its 100-year history, the company has built a top-tier track record in desalination, contributing to the construction of plants capable of serving more than 20 million people worldwide. This achievement reflects not only engineering excellence, but also a long-term industrial vision focused on the sustainable management of water resources.

From traditional thermal technologies to the most advanced reverse osmosis systems, Fisia Italimpianti has developed integrated expertise across the entire value chain: design, procurement, construction, and operations. This end-to-end capability enables the company to tackle complex projects in extreme climatic and environmental conditions, confirming its role as a trusted partner for governments, utilities, and industrial operators.

The Middle East represents one of its most important areas of activity. Here, the company has contributed to the development of major infrastructures, including the Jebel Ali complex in the United Arab Emirates – one of the largest desalination systems in the world – which has played a crucial role in the growth of cities such as Dubai. Today, this desalination plant supplies more than 630,000 cubic meters of drinking water per day.

More recently, Fisia Italimpianti has strengthened its position through next-generation reverse osmosis projects, such as the Shoaiba desalination plant in Saudi Arabia and the Salalah plant in Oman. These two strategic projects represent the most advanced evolution of the sector in terms of efficiency, production capacity, and operational reliability, making a tangible contribution to water security across entire regions.

Bringing water where water no longer exists – or has ever been available: this is the mission that has guided the company for more than a century. In an increasingly thirsty world, transforming the sea into a resource is not just a technological achievement, but a necessity.