Biofilm Alliance Stakeholder Visit: Dryden Aqua 

Last week, the Biofilm Alliance visited Dryden Aqua’s manufacturing facility in Edinburgh as part of our ongoing engagement with stakeholders across the pool, spa and wider water sector.

The visit provided an opportunity to observe the production process of pool filtration media, from recycled glass derived from bottles through to final products, and to gain insight into how these systems are designed and applied in operational settings.

Throughout the visit, biofilms were a central focus of discussion. Conversations with the Dryden Aqua team highlighted the persistent challenges associated with biofilm formation and control in water systems, as well as the complexity of managing these issues in real-world environments.

Discussions also explored factors that may influence biofilm development, including system design, material properties and operational practices. In addition, several case examples relating to biofilm management were considered, reflecting ongoing efforts within the sector to better understand and address biofilm-related challenges.

These exchanges reinforced the importance of critically evaluating available data and ensuring that approaches to biofilm control are supported by robust, reproducible evidence, particularly where system complexity may influence outcomes.

Engagements such as this form an important part of the Biofilm Alliance’s work, supporting knowledge exchange between academia and industry, identifying current challenges, and helping to ensure that future research and outputs remain relevant, balanced and evidence-led.

The Biofilm Alliance would like to thank the team at Dryden Aqua for hosting the visit and for facilitating open and constructive discussions.