High-Turbidity Backwash Waste Recovery for Potable Use at Surface Water Treatment Plant

A common complaint for water treatment operators when it comes to hollow-fiber MF/UF systems is the frequent repairs and production downtime needed for fiber breakage issues. At a Midwestern surface water treatment plant, treating backwash waste (variable turbidity) from the primary MF skid to increase recovery for potable water production is needed to meet demands. A robust ceramic membrane treatment system is tested against the incumbent polymeric membrane system to treat backwash waste and compared in terms of performance reliability, filtrate quality, and daily integrity testing.