Fouling　of　membranes　continues　to　be　a　prominent　challenge　in　the　membrane　distillation　(MD)　treatment　of　high　salinity　organic　wastewater　(HSOW).　Although　membrane　electrochemical　reactor　(MER)　can　effectively　inhibit　the　membrane　fouling　of　MD,　the　high　cost　of　the　proton　exchange　membrane　(PEM)　used　in　MER　limits　its　widespread　application.　In　this　study,　cost-effective　pressure-driven　membranes　were　employed　as　a　substitute　for　PEM　to　establish　pressure-driven　membrane　electrochemical　reactors　for　HSOW　pre-treatment.　By　using　ultrafiltration　membrane　(UFM)　and　reverse　osmosis　membrane　(ROM),　UFMER　and　ROMER　were　developed,　respectively.　Due　to　the　superior　electrochemical　performance　of　UFM,　UFMER　saved　43　%　of　energy　compared　to　PEMER　with　the　highest　removal　rate　of　organics　(~85　%)　in　the　simulated　HSOW　treatment.　In　practical　applications,　using　UFMER　significantly　reduced　the　amount　and　size　of　complexes　in　the　real　nanofiltration　concentrate　(NC)　of　landfill　leachate.　This　contributed　to　the　superior　specific　flux　maintenance　(97　%)　with　a　salt　rejection　(＞99　%)　and　the　highest　recovered　specific　water　flux　(99.6　%)　in　MD　cases.　UFMER　reduced　~27　%　of　energy　compared　to　PEMER　in　MER　pre-treatment,　and　saved　the　most　energy　(~39.6　%)　in　MD　post-treatment.　Hence,　this　strategy　is　potential　for　forthcoming　applications,　notably　in　lowering　the　membrane　cost　of　MER　and　energy　consumption　of　both　MER　and　MD.　©　2024　Elsevier　B.V.