introducing water to be treated into an enclosure containing one or more Hydrate Asymmetric Restraint Technology (“HART”) modules, each of said HART modules including one or more HART restraint panels, with pores extending from one major surface of each restraint panel to an opposite major surface of each restraint panel, and an internal chamber;

in a first cooling process, cooling the water to be treated generally within the enclosure to a first temperature that is slightly above a temperature at which hydrate of said HFM would form at pressure conditions existing within the enclosure, said first cooling process being effected by introducing HFM into the water to be treated within the enclosure with the HFM expanding or vaporizing/expanding upon being introduced into the water to be treated, the introduction of said HFM being regulated so as to yield said first temperature;

in a second cooling process, cooling water to be treated that is generally adjacent to the HART restraint panels to a second temperature at which hydrate of said HFM forms at the pressure conditions existing within the enclosure whereby hydrate of said HFM forms within the pores of said HART restraint panels, said second cooling process being effected by refrigerating the HART restraint panels and sufficient hydrate being formed to fill and essentially seal the pores of the HART restraint panels;

causing downstream portions of the hydrate within the pores of the HART restraint panels to dissociate, thereby releasing purified water and HFM into the internal chambers of the HART modules; and

removing the purified water from the enclosure.