Safe drinking water for all is a major challenge and needs critical attention, as freshwater aquifers are rapidly declining. A strategy based on addressing scarcity through membrane-based purification and desalination can be an immediate and robust solution. The current scientific advances toward tailoring the structure and chemical properties of existing membrane materials have enabled key insights leading to new water purification alternatives. In the first part of the article, the key requirements for water decontamination addressed through state-of-the-art literature on membranes are discussed. In the next part, the specific membrane modification strategies to impede bacterial growth and enhance fouling resistance are discussed, bringing in the underlying mechanisms. Finally, promising next-generation separation techniques that are inspired by nature, inorganic and carbonaceous nanomaterial-based membranes, layer-by-layer assembly, and dynamic composite membranes, are highlighted. This perspective article will help guide researchers working in this field from both industrial and academic standpoints, especially where the research is focused toward developing strategies to modify the existing solution besides finding alternative and sustainable new materials. © 2019 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim