Flinders University researchers have developed an anti-bacterial coating to keep water flowing fast through membranes, ABC News reports.

The innovative material, created for desalination plants, is similar to contact lens film.

"What happens is when the bacteria can attach to the surface they grow into something that's called a biofilm and this coats the surface of the membrane," Flinders University PhD student Clare Worthley told the ABC.

"It makes it a lot more difficult for water to pass through the membrane and this means that we have to use more pressure to force the water through and this means that the energy costs are driven up."
 

Updated 20 Jan 2012