Sunday
18th Oct 2026
Dhivehi Edition
MWSC has begun studying subsea desalination near Malé, Photo: MWSC
Malé Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) has begun a feasibility study into establishing a subsea desalination system near Malé, exploring technology that could reduce energy consumption in water production.
As part of the study, Flocean’s technical team collected seawater samples from a depth of 500 metres. According to MWSC, initial observations indicated exceptionally clean water, although laboratory analysis is needed to confirm its quality and suitability for desalination.
Flocean’s system is designed to use the ocean’s natural hydrostatic pressure to support reverse osmosis, the process used to remove salt from seawater.
The technology is reported to offer electricity savings of between 40 and 50 percent, alongside reduced chemical use and environmental impacts. However, those energy savings have yet to be verified under Maldivian conditions.
MWSC said the study would assess whether the technology is technically and commercially viable for deployment in the Maldives.
The company linked the initiative to efforts to strengthen national water security, improve operational efficiency and support sustainable infrastructure development, in line with President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s vision for a developed Maldives by 2040.
The findings will guide MWSC’s assessment of whether subsea desalination could form part of the country’s future water infrastructure.