Low-Pressure Membrane Treatment Plant Checklist
Checklist and supporting materials for designing, constructing, and operating low-pressure membrane treatment plants in compliance with TCEQ rules and requirements. These documents provide guidance and assistance for operators, engineers, and membrane vendors.
On this page:
Membrane Treatment Plant Checklist
checklist for plants that use low-pressure microfiltration or ultrafiltration membrane filters. For information on reverse osmosis and nanofiltration membrane filters, see the Plan Review team's Membrane Construction Checklist (Step 1) and Membrane Use Checklist (Step 2) at the TCEQ Forms and Checklists for Submitting Plans and Specifications for Public Water Systems webpage.
This checklist breaks down the complicated rules and requirements for operating low-pressure membranes into a practical, testable list of compliance items and best management practices. Engineers and membrane vendors should design and construct new membrane filters and control systems in compliance with the checklist items. In an existing low-pressure membrane plant, use the checklist to determine if the plant is constructed and operated in compliance with TCEQ requirements. (We use the checklist during onsite evaluations of low-pressure membrane plants.)
If you have a question about or need assistance with any checklist item, including how to resolve potential issues you have discovered, technical assistance contacts are provided at the end of the checklist. The checklist is provided in Microsoft Word format to allow you fill it out electronically if you desire.
Common Issues in Low-Pressure Membrane Plants
The companion document to the checklist, Common Issues in Low-Pressure Membrane Plants, discusses and clarifies each checklist item. On the checklist, references in () in individual checklist items, for example, (B.1.b.), are to the corresponding section(s) in this document where that item is discussed in detail. In the Appendix, you'll find schematics for common arrangements of cross-connection controls around individual membrane filtration units. (See Section B.1.e. for additional information about cross-connection controls around membranes.)
Daily Membrane Report Template
The report template is a Microsoft Excel file that takes 5-minute data recorded each calendar day for an individual membrane unit and summarizes the data that should be reported in the membrane tab of the Surface Water Monthly Operating Report (SWMOR) for that day, for example, the maximum turbidity reading. You can import data directly into the template, use the template as an example for creating your own customized daily report, or, if you already have a daily report that you are happy with, you can continue using what you have.
We highly recommend that low-pressure membrane plants use a daily report of some kind to simplify data reporting in the SWMOR. If the plant's operators have to search through data trendlines to find reportable data, they are wasting valuable time that could be used more productively. TCEQ expects every low-pressure membrane plant to use daily 5-minute records for reporting data in the SWMOR.
Assistance with Low-Pressure Membranes
If you have questions about compliance requirements for your plant, we recommend that you reach out to the technical assistance contacts listed at the end of the Membrane Treatment Plant Checklist.
If you are having problems operating your membrane filters, please contact the Texas Optimization Program (TOP) at TOP@tceq.texas.gov .