AWWA MTC57599

Abilene and Wichita Falls, Texas, are expanding their water supply and treatment facilities and face similar challenges: the lack of an available fresh water supply. Both communities will be treating brackish surface water supplies for their expansion projects with treatment product capacities in the 6-10 million-gallon-per-day (mgd) range. Planned treatment includes dual-membrane processes: microfiltration (MF) or ultrafiltration (UF) for suspended solids, and pathogen removal followed by nanofiltration (NF) or reverse osmosis (RO) for dissolved solids reduction. The MF/UF systems at Abilene and Wichita Falls will treat up to 8 mgd and 14 mgd, respectively. This paper discusses the preliminary feasibility evaluation, pilot testing results, procurement of the full-scale MF/UF membrane equipment using an evaluated proposal process, and design considerations for dual-membrane water treatment plants. Includes tables.