当将地表水用作膜处理厂的原水供应时，需要进行大量规划。原水质量是工艺设计和规划工作几乎每个方面的主要因素；因此，基于可靠和充分的水质数据开展工作符合设计师的最佳利益。只有在地下水供应不足的情况下，才能为膜处理厂提供地表水。如果膜处理厂的设计师在设计拟建膜处理厂时考虑了本文中提到的地表水问题（水质变化、可靠数据、原水质量最低标准、防止污染的预处理选项），则应延长设计中膜系统的寿命。

Considerable planning is a requirement when incorporating the use of a surface water as a raw water supply for a membrane process plant. The raw water quality is a major factor involved in almost every facet of the process design and planning effort; therefore, it is in the designer's best interest to base the effort on reliable and adequate water quality data. Surface water supplies should only be used for membrane process plants when an adequate groundwater supply is unavailable. If the designer of a membrane process plant takes into consideration the surface water issues mentioned in this paper (water quality variations, reliable data, minimum standards for raw water quality, pretreatment options to prevent fouling) in the design of the proposed membrane process plant, the longevity of the membrane system under design should be prolonged.