Ultra Filtration Plant

A UF plant removes bacteria from your water. Ultra filtration — UF for short — forces water through a hollow fiber membrane with pores too fine for bacteria and cysts to pass through, giving you a physical barrier against microbial contamination at the point of use.

It does this on normal line pressure, without electricity, and without wasting water. For households and businesses whose water is dirty or unsafe rather than salty, a UF plant is often the right answer and considerably cheaper to run than reverse osmosis.

Axtron Pakistan has supplied water filtration equipment across the country since 2005.

What a UF Plant Does

Removes bacteria and cysts. This is the main reason to buy one. The membrane physically blocks microorganisms that ordinary sediment and carbon cartridges pass straight through.

Removes turbidity, mud and fine suspended solids. Water that runs cloudy comes out clear.

Handles chlorine, taste and odour. The carbon stages in a complete UF plant deal with these before the water reaches the membrane.

Keeps natural minerals in the water. Because UF does not remove dissolved solids, the mineral content stays. Many buyers prefer this to RO output, provided their TDS is already acceptable.

What it does not do: UF does not reduce TDS. If your water is salty or brackish, a UF plant will not fix it — you need reverse osmosis.

UF Plant or RO Plant? How to Decide

These solve different problems, and buying the wrong one is an expensive mistake.

Choose a UF plant if your water is muddy, cloudy, or you are worried about bacterial contamination — but it does not taste salty and your TDS is in an acceptable range. No electricity, no drain line, no waste water, and lower running cost.

Choose an RO plant if your water is salty or brackish, or your TDS meter reads above roughly 500 ppm. RO is the only thing that reduces dissolved salts.

Use both where the water is bad in both ways. UF is commonly installed ahead of an RO plant, taking the bacteria and sediment load off the RO membranes so they last considerably longer.

Test with a TDS meter before you decide. If you are unsure, message us the reading and describe the water — we would rather tell you honestly which one you need than sell you the more expensive option.

The Complete 5 Stage UF Plant

Our standard domestic UF plant runs five stages in sequence:

Stage 1 — PPF Sediment Filter. Removes sand, silt, dirt and rust.

Stage 2 — GAC Granular Activated Carbon. Handles the bulk of chlorine and odour removal.

Stage 3 — CTO Carbon Block. Compressed carbon that polishes taste and traps finer particles.

Stage 4 — UF Membrane. The stage that makes this a UF plant. Hollow fiber construction, fine enough to block bacteria and cysts.

Stage 5 — Coconut Shell Carbon. Final polish before the water reaches your tap.

Suitable for homes, offices, clinics and shops where the water needs bacterial protection rather than TDS reduction.

Already Have a Water Filter or RO Plant?

If you already own a system and only want to add bacteria removal, you do not need a whole new plant. You need a membrane shell and a UF membrane.

10 inch membrane — Rs. 1,500. Hollow fiber cartridge that fits the same shell used for a standard 100 GPD RO membrane. If your system already uses that shell size, it drops straight in with no modification. Suits domestic and semi commercial setups.

UF 4040 module — Rs. 25,000. A 4-inch by 40-inch self-housed unit with pore sizes in the 0.02 to 0.05 micron range. Membrane and housing come as one piece with union fittings on both ends, so there is no separate pressure vessel to buy. Built for commercial RO plants and bottled or refill water businesses.

Larger sizes are available on order for industrial plants.

Send us a photo of your existing setup on WhatsApp and we will tell you which membrane fits and what else you need.

Where a UF Plant Makes Sense in Pakistan

Water with contamination risk in the line. Old pipework and intermittent supply make cross-contamination common. UF gives you a barrier at the tap.

Muddy or turbid supply. Surface water and canal-fed lines that run cloudy after rain.

Premises with no electricity for RO. UF runs on line pressure — no pump, no power, no drain line.

Ahead of an RO plant on difficult water. Cheaper than replacing fouled RO membranes early.

Bottled and refill water businesses dealing with heavily contaminated raw water.

Important: Use Normal Tank Pressure

Run the plant on normal pressure from your overhead tank. Do not connect it to a pump line or high-pressure supply.

Water pushed through at speed passes too quickly for the stages to work properly — this applies particularly to the carbon stages, where contact time is what removes chlorine and odour. Open the tap slowly and let the water dwell in the housings. The same plant gives noticeably better water at a slow flow than a fast one.

Cartridge and Membrane Replacement

PPF sediment cartridge — 15 to 30 days, depending on how much dust and sediment your water carries. Check it visually and replace as soon as it looks fully dirty.

GAC and CTO carbon cartridges — 3 months maximum. Once carbon is exhausted it can release what it has collected back into the water, which is why an overdue cartridge causes a smell.

UF membrane — no fixed life. Anyone quoting a set number of months is guessing. Membrane life depends on how much water passes through it and how much bacterial and particulate load that water carries. A membrane on clean municipal supply in a low-usage home lasts far longer than the same membrane on contaminated raw water in a plant running all day.

Judge by performance: replace it when flow noticeably slows, or when clarity or taste declines.

Keeping the sediment stage clean is what protects the membrane. The PPF is cheap and the membrane is not, so staying on top of the sediment cartridge is the single best thing you can do to extend membrane life.

Replacement cartridges are in our domestic filters and cartridges section, and membranes in our membrane section.

If the Plant Has Been Left Unused

Systems left standing fail two ways. If water sat in the housings, it goes stagnant and develops a smell that carries into everything drawn afterwards. If the housings were left empty, the cartridges dry out and stop working properly even though they look normal.

In both cases, remove the cartridges and fit new ones before restarting. Before any extended period away, open the housings and take the cartridges out.

Delivery and Installation

Nationwide delivery with cash on delivery available. Our Lahore, Multan and Bahawalpur offices can advise on installation and on whether a UF plant or an RO plant suits your water.

For commercial UF requirements, bulk orders or dealer enquiries, contact us on WhatsApp or call +92 302 163 5555.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a UF plant?

A water treatment system built around an ultra filtration membrane. It removes bacteria, cysts, mud and suspended particles by physically blocking them, working on normal line pressure with no electricity.

Does a UF plant reduce TDS?

No. UF removes bacteria and suspended matter but dissolved salts pass through, so your TDS reading stays the same. Only RO reduces TDS.

What is the difference between a UF plant and an RO plant?

A UF plant removes bacteria and turbidity, needs no electricity, and wastes almost no water — but leaves dissolved salts in place. An RO plant reduces TDS but needs electricity, a drain line, and produces waste water. Match the system to your actual water problem.

Is a UF plant suitable for boring water?

Only if the boring water is dirty rather than salty. If it tastes salty or your TDS is high, you need RO.

Can I add UF to my existing water filter or RO plant?

Yes. You need a membrane shell and a UF membrane in the right size. On many systems the 10-inch membrane fits the shell already in use, making it a straightforward addition.

How long does a UF membrane last?

There is no fixed life. It depends on your usage volume and how much bacteria and sediment the water carries. Replace it when flow slows or water quality declines. Keeping the sediment cartridge clean extends it considerably.

Does a UF plant kill bacteria?

No — it traps them. UF is a physical barrier, not a disinfection method. Where active disinfection is also needed, UF is paired with a UV sterilizer or an ozone generator.

Does a UF plant need electricity?

No. It runs entirely on your existing line pressure, so it keeps working during load shedding.

Which UF size do I need?

For a home or office, the complete 5 stage plant or a 10-inch membrane. For a commercial RO plant, the 4040 module. If you are unsure, send us your requirement and we will confirm.