M|MBR Systems, LLC.
We're Only Seeing The Tip Of The Iceberg With MBR Technology

Headquartered in Austin, Texas, M|MBR Systems, LLC. (M|MBR) was formed in 2018 and is staffed by membrane bioreactor (MBR) experts formally with Ovivo® USA, Inc. According to Technical Director and Co-founder Mr. Dennis Livingston, “the company was created to reliably and cost effectively deliver polymeric flat sheet MBR technology faster than anyone.” M|MBR’s mission quickly evolved to include servicing all flat plate MBR systems and collaborating with industry partners. Co-founder Al Ouchie adds, “We have a singular focus on delivering MBR solutions, but we’re also very adaptable to changing conditions and dynamic customer needs. We have the agility of a small company with the support of global manufacturing leaders.”

MBR systems, considered the best available technology for wastewater treatment, are scalable and used in a wide variety of applications. The types of projects M|MBR is working on today vary but gravitate toward those involving decentralized systems, the upgrade of existing MBR systems, retrofits, and technical support for industry partners. Although the company specializes in the replacement of less-efficient membrane equipment and the quick delivery of modular MBR solutions, it can also deliver larger systems. Livingston pointed out that M|MBR was recently selected to provide an 11-million gallon per day (GPD) system. “We have the technologies, the infrastructure, and the history to successfully deliver all types of MBR projects,” he said.

Asked about the history and future of MBR, Livingston responded, “Two decades ago, I was extremely fortunate to work with a visionary in Mr. Jim Porteous at Enviroquip. In 2001, he hired me to manage what was then a new MBR product.

No one can deliver flat sheet MBR wastewater treatment solutions faster, more cost effectively, or more reliably than M|MBR Systems.

Later that year, my team delivered the very first flat plate MBR system inthe U.S. and in 2012 we introduced flat sheet technology.” Livingston continued, “After 300 MBR systems, and the equivalent of about 1,000,000 elements, we’ve seen the good and bad with membranes in MBR. We learned that rigid plates can be simple to operate and reliable, but that they can also be relatively inefficient and susceptible toclogging. Today we’re using flat sheet technologies that are sufficiently robust, meet our performance expectations, and are backward-compatible with legacy plate products.” Technical Services Director, and Co-owner Mr. Mark Parli added “Membrane technology is only one part of the equation. The key is to ensure that systems are designed and operated properly, which is why system experience andinnovation are so important.”

Recently, M|MBR has successfully started up five complete systems, replaced modules at six facilities, and delivered on several innovation initiatives. Examples of innovation include: support for MANN+HUMMEL to develop the clogging-resistant BIO-CEL® L-2 membrane module; a collaboration with Toray Membrane U.S.A. to develop the M|600TM; a project with WTA Technologies to optimize the design of MYTEX microfiltration modules; and a partnership with BluBoxTM to introduce the next-generation of modular MBR system. The company’s innovation efforts are not limited to membrane equipment. “Our heritage includes the development of side-stream (stormwater) treatment flow sheets, pure oxygen delivery systems, remote monitoring tools, asset management platforms, and several packaged/ modular MBR systems. Innovation is part of our DNA,” explains Livingston.

M|MBR leverages extensive experience, strategic relationships, and powerful web-based analytics to help industry-leading manufacturing partners bring their innovations to market and to help end-users get the most out of that technology in the field. “We’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the potential of MBR technology,” concludes Livingston