NALA Membranes

NALA Membranes is a water technology company that has developed a new generation of chlorine-tolerant reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. These membranes are constructed from patented sulfonated polysulfone materials, which allow them to withstand high levels of chlorine exposure—a property that traditional polyamide membranes lack. By resisting fouling and degradation from chlorine, NALA's technology enables more efficient cleaning and sanitization processes, providing a durable, structurally configurable solution for advanced water treatment systems in industrial and municipal applications.

The company’s technology addresses significant challenges in water reuse and desalination by reducing the frequency of membrane maintenance, cleaning, and replacement. By lowering operating costs and complexity, NALA Membranes aims to make wastewater reuse more effective and economical for industries and municipalities facing water scarcity. Headquartered in North Carolina, the company was founded in 2018 by Judy Riffle and Sue Mecham and has received support from various research and seed investment initiatives to commercialize its membranes for global water treatment markets.