CIP Waste Options for Membrane Filtration Water Treatment Plants

For some utilities, disposal of the waste streams generated by membrane filtration and MF/UF membrane systems that do not have available options for disposal is becoming a challenge. This paper discusses the various treatment and disposal alternatives for CIP waste streams from MF/UF utilities. Typical waste streams from MF/UF utilities include spent backwash (BW), maintenance wash (MW) and clean-in-place (CIP) waste streams. Since some water utilities do not have access to a sewer line or are not near a wastewater facility, their only disposal option is recycling or further treatment of these waste streams. Treatment and subsequent recycle of waste streams generated by membrane filtration processes requires coordination between the regulatory agency, the utility, and the design engineers. Equally important, potential impacts on primary treatment process must be considered if recycling of waste is selected. The CIP waste stream is generally the most problematical if disposal is unavailable because of the high concentration chemical stream. This paper discusses the nature of CIP waste stream, while considering volume and impacts of the treatment followed by recycling within the water treatment plant (WTP) or disposal. In addition, two evaluations of experimental treatment and recycle of CIP waste are discussed.

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