Mobile Water Treatment Is a Key Asset for Water Quality Management

February 18, 2025

With water resources under strain worldwide, managing wastewater and ensuring consistent access to high-quality water is critically important for municipal and industrial facilities. Mobile water treatment systems transform how water quality is managed by addressing contaminants, peaks in demand, and emergencies.

Advanced mobile water treatment systems from Aria Filtra^® deploy rapidly, are cost-effective, and provide reliable treatment capabilities. Our technology empowers communities and businesses to meet regulatory standards, protect public health, and achieve operational resilience.

This article explores the growing importance of mobile water treatment systems, their practical applications, and how the cutting-edge technology in Aria FAST™ solutions is shaping the future of water management.

What Is Mobile Water Treatment?

Mobile water treatment refers to containerized or trailer-mounted systems engineered to treat water on-site for short-term needs, long-term requirements, or emergency relief. These systems come equipped with advanced filtration technologies, making them capable of handling diverse municipal and industrial water treatment challenges.

Designed for rapid deployment and flexibility, mobile water treatment systems can function as standalone units or complement existing facilities to address temporary or long-term needs with minimal infrastructure requirements.

Meeting Peak Demands with Mobile Water Treatment

One summer brought significant challenges to the production supervisor at New Jersey American Water, who turned to Aria Filtra for help with demand.

"The Aria FAST mobile membrane trailers were instrumental in helping us meet Monmouth County's peak summer demand, especially in July when capacity needs are nearly triple that of the winter months," Spencer explained. "The trailers performed flawlessly for the bulk of summer in addition to being user-friendly and easy to run. Overall, it was a very good experience.” 

Aria FAST units ensured that Monmouth County residents had uninterrupted access to high-quality water, even as demand surged. With plug-and-play capabilities, the trailers required minimal labor and were operational within hours of arrival.

Flexible Solutions for Emergency Relief

Natural disasters like hurricanes, wildfires, and floods often leave communities without access to potable water. In such scenarios, water treatment facilities can deploy mobile emergency water units to quickly restore the water supply.

In 2017, Hurricane Harvey caused catastrophic flooding in Houston, Texas. According to the National Resource Defense Council, the storm disrupted at least 40 wastewater treatment plants that served nearly 169,000 people and spilled an estimated 25,000 gallons of sewage-contaminated water into streets, homes, and waterways. After the storm, Houston Water, a division of the City of Houston Public Works, sought proposals from a local water technology hub to mobilize water treatment and prevent future service disruptions if facilities are inundated again during another severe weather event. 

Aria Filtra specifically designed Aria FAST T80 mobile units for such emergencies. With robust hollow-fiber membranes and built-in redundancies, these systems can be operational within hours and ensure consistent performance even under the most challenging conditions.

Modular Systems for Industrial and Municipal Applications

Both municipal and industrial facilities, such as food and beverage production, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and oil and gas, require reliable water treatment to maintain operational efficiency and compliance with environmental regulations. Mobile water treatment trailers provide an effective solution for planned maintenance, sudden equipment failure, or seasonal contaminants like algae blooms.

For Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, collaboration with Aria Filtra helped the borough address a critical water treatment challenge when boil water notices were issued due to elevated algae levels in its reservoir. "I was impressed with the engineering that Aria Filtra completed," said Daniel Strausser, borough manager. "The collaboration between our engineers and Aria Filtra’s with the prebuilt enclosure and supporting elements was spot on. When the mobile unit arrived, everything fit perfectly."

Aria Filtra’s modular systems integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructure, providing supplemental capacity and ensuring operational continuity.

Advanced Technology at Work

Aria Filtra’s mobile water treatment lineup includes state-of-the-art systems tailored to a variety of needs:

Aria FAST C1K: An automated rental water treatment system that treats the toughest waters, the Aria FAST C1K features two 40-ft microfiltration containers and one 20-ft auxiliary container and filtrate tank. The increased membrane quantity in the C1K allows for lower flux to treat the most difficult waters without sacrificing flow rate.

Aria FAST T80: A trailer-based solution that treats groundwater, surface water, or secondary effluent with minimal labor. The Aria FAST T80 is designed for flexibility and can serve as a long-term solution or emergency relief unit.

Aria FAST C60: This containerized microfiltration system offers up to 1,200 gpm of filtrate capacity for drinking water and industrial wastewater applications. Its modular design fits into tight spaces, making it ideal for facilities with site-specific constraints.

Aria FAST T96: With a capacity of up to 1,400 gpm, the T96 maximizes water production in a compact footprint. It's an economical and efficient choice for high-demand applications.

IMPRO™:  This unit offers high-recovery reverse osmosis (RO) wherever you need it. IMPRO uses closed-circuit reverse osmosis (CCRO) technology to recover up to 95% of wastewater and reduce waste streams by 50 to 80%.

Each system includes advanced monitoring capabilities with Aria SMARTBOX™, which allows operators to track and optimize performance in real time. With the option to add eGuardian remote monitoring, off-site engineers can remotely detect and address issues before they escalate, minimizing the need for onsite service and reducing operating costs.

Tackling Emerging Contaminants

One of the most pressing challenges in modern water treatment is addressing emerging contaminants like PFAS. Known as "forever chemicals," PFAS compounds resist traditional treatment methods and pose significant risks to public health and the environment.

Aria FAST mobile systems incorporate cutting-edge technologies like reverse osmosis (RO) to remove PFAS effectively. Communities impacted by PFAS contamination, such as those near industrial sites, can deploy these systems to restore water quality and meet stringent regulatory requirements.

Transforming Crisis into Opportunity

Water scarcity is another challenge that mobile water treatment units are uniquely positioned to address. From 2015 to 2018, Cape Town, South Africa, endured a significant drought that pushed the major metro area to the brink of "Day Zero," or the point where the city would run out of water. By banking on desalination, Cape Town delayed “Day Zero” but needed to increase production of current desalination plants to continue to meet the demand for water. 

Mobile water treatment with reverse osmosis can increase capacity by pre-treating seawater and recycling wastewater to supplement freshwater supplies.

Aria FAST units are effective solutions for treating seawater and preventing seawater contaminants from prematurely fouling RO membranes. These capabilities make mobile units invaluable for drought-prone regions and industries reliant on water-intensive processes.

Cost-Effective and Environmentally Responsible

For industries and municipalities operating on tight budgets, mobile water treatment rental solutions offer a cost-effective alternative to permanent infrastructure upgrades. Aria Filtra systems eliminate the need for extensive civil works, reducing upfront costs while providing scalability for future needs.

Mobile systems also support sustainability goals by enabling water recycling and reuse. Industrial facilities, for example, can use treated water for cooling or cleaning processes, minimizing overall consumption and reducing their environmental footprint.

Building Resilience with Mobile Water Treatment

As water challenges continue to grow, mobile water treatment systems are becoming essential tools for resilience. From meeting peak seasonal demand to addressing emergencies and tackling contaminants, these systems offer unmatched flexibility, reliability, and efficiency.

Aria Filtra’s commitment to innovation ensures that facilities and communities have access to the best-in-class solutions needed to manage water quality effectively. With advanced technology, 24/7 support, and rapid deployment capabilities, mobile water treatment is a cornerstone of sustainable water management.

Enhance Your Water Treatment with Aria Filtra

Aria Filtra is transforming how people address water challenges. By combining cutting-edge technology with rapid deployment and scalability, our systems empower municipalities and industries to meet water quality demands head-on.

To learn more about mobile water treatment and how it can benefit your facility or community, contact our team today.

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