Surface Water Dual-Membrane Treatment Plant: Design Innovations and Seven Years of Operation

Abstract

After a 1990s drought affected west Texas water supplies, the city of Abilene needed another water source to serve its growing population and preserve limited local freshwater supplies. The city had microfiltration/ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis (RO) pilot testing conducted from December 2000 through April 2001. This article summarizes membrane system design criteria, an innovative method of coupling the membrane filtration and RO systems, performance during a seven-year operating period, management and disposal of the saline concentrate, evaporation ponds, and use of enhanced evaporation equipment.