Integration of Membrane Filtration Into Water Treatment Systems

Increasingly, utilities are using membrane technology to solve a wide array of water treatment challenges. The current state of knowledge regarding different aspects of membrane integration is thought to be in development, as evidenced by the continued research efforts by utilities, manufacturers, engineers, and academia. The water industry lacks specific guidance on how membranes can be integrated into a treatment process to improve treatment or capacity. The findings of this project focused on key issues of membrane integration: the benefits of pilot testing and planning, design considerations, and operation and maintenance needs. All of the participating utilities conducted pilot evaluations of membrane technologies and some continued those studies after commissioning to optimize system performance.Several of the participating utilities embarked on a comprehensive planning and approval program, which included community outreach efforts, budget planning, and scheduling for pilot testing before design. In terms of design considerations, many of the utilities experienced unique design challenges that were specific to the system being installed.