Ultrafiltration, a cost-effective solution for treating surface water to potable standard

Ultrafiltration is increasingly popular in many types of water and effluent treatment, and has been developed substantially since the turn of the century, especially for waters that are difficult to treat – e.g. surface-, waste- and sea-waters, among others. This paper is a case of study of the San Juan Reservoir Water Treatment Plant in Chongon, Ecuador, which uses ultrafiltration for water treatment. The treatment process is described with special focus on the use of ultrafiltration as a cost-effective surface water treatment. San Juan Reservoir suffers from high bacterial loads, turbidity levels and color, and the seasonal presence of algae (cyanobacteria). The advantages of ultrafiltration over conventional treatment are highlighted, as well as the technology's potential for micro-plastics removal. Micro-plastics are an emerging pollutant that has recently gained importance in drinking water treatment.