How Membrane Bioreactor Technology is Changing Onsite Water Recycling
A building generates water that can serve it again. With the right treatment, greywater from showers, bathroom sinks, and laundry can become a resource for toilet flushing, cooling tower make-up and irrigation, where permitted. Membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology helps make that opportunity practical by combining biological treatment and membrane filtration in a compact system. For engineers and property developers, this creates an opportunity to incorporate water resilience into building design, supported by measurable treatment performance.
COMPACT TECHNOLOGY WITH A CLEAR PURPOSE
An MBR combines two complementary processes. Microorganisms break down biodegradable organic matter, while membranes separate treated water from suspended solids and biomass. Compared with conventional biological treatment followed by settling and sand filtration, MBRs can deliver high-quality effluent in a smaller footprint. The low turbidity of that effluent supports effective downstream disinfection. This matters in buildings where treatment equipment must fit alongside other essential services.
FROM WATER CLARITY TO VERIFIED PERFORMANCE
Clear water is only part of the picture. Public health protection depends on the performance of the complete treatment system. The National Blue-Ribbon Commission for Onsite Water Systems (NBRC) recommends a risk-based approach: treatment targets reflect the water source and intended use. These targets express how much treatment must reduce pathogens, including viruses, protozoa, and bacteria. An MBR system, as A QUALOOP PACKAGED SYSTEM, contributes to those reductions. Additional barriers, such as UV and chlorine disinfection, provide further protection.
WHERE TITLE 22 FITS
California’s Title 22 provides concrete treatment criteria. Under its traditional disinfected tertiary recycled-water provisions, treatment includes filtration followed by disinfection, with specified turbidity and bacteriological limits. For membrane filtration, turbidity must remain at or below 0.2 NTU for at least 95% of a 24-hour period and must never exceed 0.5 NTU. Title 22 now also includes Chapter 3.5 for onsite treatment and reuse of non-potable water, effective April 22, 2026. It combines source-specific pathogen reduction targets with prescribed treatment trains. Examples include MBR followed by UV and chlorination, and an MBR-plus-UV option for greywater and roof runoff, each subject to its own specifications and operating limits. Approved alternatives have a separate pathway. The engineering task is to select the applicable pathway and design the complete system around it. Choosing an MBR, as AQUALOOP PACKAGED SYSTEM, is one part of that process. Monitoring, disinfection, and operating safeguards complete the treatment strategy.
DESIGNED FOR THE BUILDING, SUPPORTED THROUGH THE PROJECT
Successful onsite reuse starts with understanding the building’s water sources and demand. It also requires space planning, an operating plan, and a realistic assessment of energy use, membrane cleaning, and replacement costs. ECOVIE collaborates with project teams to develop integrated onsite water use and reuse solutions, bringing water expertise and a scientific approach from design through implementation. ECOVIE MBR technology, AQUALOOP PACKAGED SYSTEM NSF 350 C certified, helps bring treatment closer to where water is generated and needed. Thoughtful system design turns that capability into a dependable resource for the property.
Planning onsite water reuse for your next project? Connect with ECOVIE to evaluate the treatment approach for your building and its applicable requirements.