Is RO technology out of date ...

New technology which offers the prospect of cutting the cost of desalination by 75%.

"A water desalination system using carbon nanotube-based membranes could significantly reduce the cost of purifying water from the ocean. The technology could potentially provide a solution to water shortages both in the United States, where populations are expected to soar in areas with few freshwater sources, and worldwide, where a lack of clean water is a major cause of disease."

See - Are carbon nanotube-based membranes the future?