Pilot-scale trials of four different pre-treatments to ceramic membranes were performed for a surface water in southwest England. A study of the organic character of the feed and treated provided an indication of which fraction of organics was contributing to fouling. The large molecular weight organics contributed to fouling when ion exchange was...

This paper describes a process comprised of ion exchange, in-line coagulation and ceramic microfiltration (MF) tested for treating surface waters in southwest England. The membrane could operate at the nominal flux of 109 lmh. The process handled abrupt water quality changes by adjusting the coagulant dosage and with the normal course of backwashes...