<p>The increasing demand for freshwater has driven the need for advanced water purification technologies. In this study, high-performance blended hydrogel composite membranes were fabricated using chitosan (CS), polyamide-6 (PA6), bacterial cellulose (BC), and graphene oxide (GO) to enhance the treatment of brackish water. The membranes were structurally, thermally, and mechanically characterized using FTIR, XRD, SEM–EDX, SEM, TGA, and UTM. The results confirmed that GO incorporation significantly improved membrane stability, anti-fouling properties, and desalination performance. SEM analysis revealed the effect of ZnO@GO on membrane morphology, demonstrating surface behaviour and roughness alignment that contributed to increased water flux and salt rejection. The optimized membrane exhibited high salt rejection (above 85%) while maintaining efficient water flux. Increasing membrane thickness improved salt rejection but reduced water permeability, emphasizing the need for an optimized balance for effective filtration. Flux recovery analysis indicated that membranes with moderate ZnO@GO content exhibited superior anti-fouling performance, with PBZ@G-2 achieving the best balance between flux recovery and fouling resistance. The membranes showed enhanced structural integrity, lower irreversible fouling, and improved mechanical strength, making them suitable for long-term water treatment applications. This study presents an efficient and eco-friendly approach for treating brackish water using composite hydrogel membranes, demonstrating their potential for sustainable desalination applications. The findings offer valuable insights into optimizing membrane composition for enhanced water purification efficiency.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>