A vacuum membrane distillation system in which, in use, feed is converted into distillate and brine, comprising: - a heat transfer means for the transfer of heat into a heating channel, that is separated by a wall from an adjacent liquid channel of a membrane distillation module; - a first membrane distillation module comprising the heating channel, the wall and the liquid channel, further comprising a feed entry and a feed exit and a substantially fluid-impermeable, vapour permeable membrane, wherein in use feed enters the liquid channel through the feed entry and is heated by means of the transferred heat transmitted from the heating channel so as to evaporate feed liquid to vapour that may pass through the membrane into a vapour space coupled to a subsequent vapour channel for condensation at a condensation wall, so as to generate distillate and transfer heat to an adjacent liquid channel of a subsequent module; - at least one further membrane distillation module, in which modules, in use, distillate is generated, which modules each comprise a vapour channel provided with a condensation wall for condensation of a vapour passed through a membrane in a preceding membrane distillation module; - a condenser module for generation of distillate from vapour from a preceding, last membrane distillation module, comprising a vapour channel for receiving said vapour, a condensation wall and a cooling channel through which, in use a cooling liquid flows, wherein - each of said vapour channels is further provided with a vacuum duct connection to a vacuum duct coupled to a vacuum pump, which vacuum duct connection is located within said vapour channel at a location downstream of the condensation wall, - the vacuum pump is a Venturi type pump, which further constitutes removal means for removing a volatile solute from at least one of the vapour channels via said vacuum duct, said removal means being resistant to said volatile solute, and - the Venturi type pump is further configured for pumping of cooling liquid after passing the condenser module. - a heat transfer means for the transfer of heat into a heating channel, that is separated by a wall from an adjacent liquid channel of a membrane distillation module; - a first membrane distillation module comprising the heating channel, the wall and the liquid channel, further comprising a feed entry and a feed exit and a substantially fluid-impermeable, vapour permeable membrane, wherein in use feed enters the liquid channel through the feed entry and is heated by means of the transferred heat transmitted from the heating channel so as to evaporate feed liquid to vapour that may pass through the membrane into a vapour space coupled to a subsequent vapour channel for condensation at a condensation wall, so as to generate distillate and transfer heat to an adjacent liquid channel of a subsequent module; - at least one further membrane distillation module, in which modules, in use, distillate is generated, which modules each comprise a vapour channel provided with a condensation wall for condensation of a vapour passed through a membrane in a preceding membrane distillation module; - a condenser module for generation of distillate from vapour from a preceding, last membrane distillation module, comprising a vapour channel for receiving said vapour, a condensation wall and a cooling channel through which, in use a cooling liquid flows, - each of said vapour channels is further provided with a vacuum duct connection to a vacuum duct coupled to a vacuum pump, which vacuum duct connection is located within said vapour channel at a location downstream of the condensation wall, - the vacuum pump is a Venturi type pump, which further constitutes removal means for removing a volatile solute from at least one of the vapour channels via said vacuum duct, said removal means being resistant to said volatile solute, and - the Venturi type pump is further configured for pumping of cooling liquid after passing the condenser module.