These MF membranes offer protection in the event that the conventional plant suffers migration behaviors or when groundwater is under the influence of surface water. Water Scarcity Encourages Membrane Use Membrane treatment in Florida has increased because of regulatory pressure and water scarcity. Many municipalities throughout the state use shallow groundwater as a source of potable water. By 1996, the combined capacity of all the NF plants in the U.S. was 60 million gallons with all the plants located in Florida. NF is now the second-largest application of membrane processes.
Membranes have a variety of uses.
They can be used to treat wastewater before discharge to surface water. In addition, they are particularly useful in areas with scarce water supplies. RO units were air dropped during the Gulf War in Iraq so that troops could use them to filter their drinking water. Further, a process that combines UF and activated sludge treatment is used in Japan in more than 100 installations to flush toilets. In remote, arid regions, communities rely primarily on groundwater supplies that tend to have high mineral concentrations.