Electrodialysis process with active foulant removal sequence

A water treatment system comprising:

• an electrochemical separation device comprising a dilution compartment having an inlet and a product outlet, a concentration compartment having an inlet and a reject outlet, an ion exchange membrane positioned between the dilution compartment and the concentration compartment, and first and a second electrodes positioned at distal ends of the electrochemical separation device;
• a first feed line fluidly connected to the dilution compartment inlet;
• a second feed line fluidly connected to the concentration compartment inlet;
• a first sensor configured to measure conductivity in the electrochemical separation device;
• and
• a control module operatively connected to the first sensor and the first and second electrodes,
• the control module configured to suspend transmission of current between the first and second electrodes and close the dilution compartment inlet and the concentration compartment inlet responsive to a conductivity measurement obtained by the first sensor reaching a threshold value,
• the control module further configured to resume transmission of the current and open the dilution compartment inlet and the concentration compartment inlet after a predetermined period of time.