ABSTRACT
Use of a conventional intake system to provide raw water to a membrane treatment plant will cause the necessity to provide considerable pretreatment processes before the water can enter the membrane modules. Considerable analysis should be given to the potential effects of flooding and stream channel migration in rivers and control of living organism growth, such as the Zebra mussel problem found in numerous intakes to conventional water treatment plants in North America and Europe. A "modified" intake design provides some level of water treatment prior to conveyance to the plant. All of the intake designs discussed thus far are shoreline or nearshore installations involving pipes or water towers. Intakes from tidal surface water bodies feeding reverse osmosis water treatment facilities share many design problems with freshwater systems. Most of the largest conventional seawater intakes in the world are located along the Arabian Gulf.
