The role of membrane technologies in water reuse applications

The world is not running out of water; the relatively fixed quantity is becoming too contaminated for many applications. In many cases, it is possible to collect and treat this contaminated water and reuse it. The crossflow, pressure-driven membrane technologies of microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and reverse osmosis play an important role in water reuse activities. This study identifies the sources of “used” water (residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal), defines the contaminant parameters, addresses the appropriate membrane treatment technologies, and details system designs necessary to produce water for specific applications, such as potable.