Understanding Membrane Filtration of Unhealthy Water
Membrane technologies are most reliable and cost effective in order to meet WHO recommendations about drinking water quality
Conventional Water Treatment vs Membrane Technologies
Membrane Treatment
- Effluent quality is not impacted by changes in quality of source water
- Absolute Filtration
- 6 log reduction on bacteria
- Turbidity < 0.1 NTU
- High recovery – up to 98%
- 2 to 5 times smaller footprint
- No sludge disposal issues
- Minimal chemical use
- Often a single and simple step operation
- Easy remote control
Conventional Treatment
- Is impacted by changes in the influent quality of source water
- Filtration can be questionable due to
- Irregular Sand Size & Distribution
- Poor removal of micro-organisms
- Variable outlet turbidity
- Leakage of impurities downstream
- Inefficient in removing Disinfection By-products (DBP)
- Have little room for improvement due to
- enhanced coagulation—sludge problems
- extended settling time—large footprint
- new treatment chemicals -DBP formation
- Cannot meet all of the requirements for safe drinking water
