Abstract: A continuous backwash upflow media filter comprises a container having a conical bottom; a wastewater influent tube having an opening within the container; an effluent weir within the container and an effluent tube with an opening in the effluent weir; a reject weir within the container below the effluent weir and a reject tube with an opening in the reject weir; an inverted deflection cone within the container positioned below the opening of the wastewater influent tube forming an annular space between the inverted deflection cone and the conical bottom of the container; an airlift pipe having a lower opening below the inverted deflection cone and below the annular space; and a sludge lift tube having a lower opening inside the media-free cavity formed by the inverted deflection cone above the annular space and an upper opening adapted to discharge sludge out of the container.

Abstract: A method for treatment of wastewater includes passing influent wastewater through an anaerobic, anoxic, or bioelectrochemical bioreactor to produce an effluent. The membrane bioreactor includes a membrane with pores having a nominal pore size less than the smallest measured biopolymers and organic nanoparticles in the influent wastewater, thereby preventing them from entering and blocking membrane pores, and further comprising degrading dissolved organics smaller than 20 nm in the influent wastewater within the membrane bioreactor before entering membrane pores.