Characteristics and costs of MF and UF plants

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Abstract
Date from this Questionnaire indicate that larger‐capacity MF and UF plants are becoming technologically and economically feasible.A questionnaire was sent to membrane filtration plants worldwide regarding their capacities, operation, water quality, and costs. The total plant capacity of all utilities responding was 49 mgd (185,500 m3/d). About 90 percent of the existing plants have design capacity < 1 mgd (< 3,800 m3/d). The largest plant is a 15‐mgd (57,000‐m3/d) ultrafiltration plant currently being commissioned in France. Source waters for the plants included both groundwater (35 percent) and surface water (65 percent) and were not necessarily limited to high‐quality waters. Although influent total coliform concentrations ranged from 1 to >1,000/100 mL, none of the plants reported the presence of coliforms in their permeate. The current treatment unit cost for membrane filtration ranges from <$0.50/1,000 gal (<$0.13/m3) for plant capacities >5 mgd (>19,000 m3/d) to as high as $2.50/1,000 gal ($0.66/m3) for plant capacities of 0.01 mgd (38 m3/d). Capital and operation and maintenance costs of membrane filtration are expected to continue to decline.