Faistenau, Austria – With the commissioning of an automated C-MEM ultrafiltration plant in Faistenau, SFC Umwelttechnik is once again setting new standards in drinking water treatment. The new plant guarantees reliable, transparent quality and safe protection for subsequent UV disinfection – using state-of-the-art technology and high efficiency.
| Parameters | Specification Faistenau |
| Location | Faistenau, Austria |
| Technology | C-MEM Ultrafiltration (HDPE hollow fiber membranes) |
| Operation | Gravity operation using pre-pressure (no pump operation necessary) |
| System configuration | 16 parallel C-MEM filters in automatic system |
| Flow rate | up to 3 Liters/sec |
| Raw water turbidity | up to 10 NTU |
| Pure water trubidity | < 0,1 NTU |
| Objective | Reliable protection for downstream UV system, complete removal of turbidity |
| Commissioning | End of 2024 |
Technical details & innovation
The plant in Faistenau uses 16 C-MEM ultrafiltration modules connected in parallel. It operates gravitationally with pre-pressure: this enables stable water pressure through the filter medium without the need for large pumps – ideal for a solution that is as energy-efficient as possible.
The performance parameters are impressive: with raw water turbidity of up to 10 NTU, the water is filtered to such an extent that the pure water turbidity is below 0.1 NTU. This quality provides excellent conditions for downstream UV disinfection, as UV light is particularly effective when the water is clear.
Advantages & benefits of the C-MEM solution in Faistenau
- Maximum removal of suspended solids: Ultrafiltration reliably retains suspended solids and significantly improves water quality.
- Energy efficiency through gravity-fed operation: Fewer electric pump systems and lower energy requirements reduce operating costs and represent a more sustainable solution.
- Automated operation & high plant availability: The parallel configuration with 16 filter modules allows flexible control, simultaneous maintenance of individual modules without downtime, and continuous operation.
- Protection of UV disinfection: Low pure water turbidity ensures the effectiveness of the UV system, which only reliably inhibits germs under clear conditions.
- Robust design & long-term operational reliability: The filter membranes are based on proven C-MEM technology, which meets high requirements in terms of materials, maintenance, and functional reliability.
Significance for drinking water supply and the environment
This new project demonstrates how modern ultrafiltration can be used in drinking water plants to meet increasing water quality requirements—especially after rainfall events or when surface water pollution is an issue. Prefiltration using C-MEM reliably buffers fluctuations in raw water quality and efficiently supports subsequent UV disinfection.
In addition, the project contributes to securing the drinking water supply under changing climatic conditions – more precipitation events, faster inflow of turbidity and the need to maintain high-quality drinking water standards even under adverse raw water conditions.
Outlook
The start of operations at the end of 2024 will mark the beginning of a new era for water supply in Faistenau. The experience gained will not only serve to fine-tune the operating parameters, but will also provide important insights for further projects in Austria and beyond. Of particular interest are the scalability of the solution, the maintenance intervals for the membranes, and the interaction with UV post-disinfection in real operating scenarios.
SFC Umwelttechnik sees this reference project as a showcase plant: technology, quality, and sustainability combined – under the motto Clean Water for the World
