Water　rinsing　could　effectively　alleviate　polysaccharides　fouling　in　membrane　bioreactor.　To　understand　water　rinsing　mechanism,　a　suitable　model　was　developed　to　depict　the　variation　of　fouling　resistance　during　water　rinsing　process　with　different　microfiltration　membranes　and　feed　solution/suspensions　at　different　operation　conditions.　Various　parameters　including　contact　angle,　Zeta　potential,　the　roughness　and　the　free　energy　of　the　membrane　surface　were　measured　or　calculated　to　assess　membrane　properties.　The　results　showed　that　the　membrane　flux　was　more　sensitive　for　temperature　than　agitation　velocity　and　operating　pressure　during　water　rinsing　process.　The　membrane　flux　initially　increased　before　decreasing　over　time　due　to　shearing　effect　(removing　the　deposits　from　the　membrane　and　forcing　small　cells　into　the　pores).　The　predictive　values　of　the　model　had　a　good　agreement　with　experimental　observations　(R-2　＞　0.94).　Further,　the　model　allows　predicting　the　resistance　due　to　deposit　at　the　membrane　surface　and　in-pore　fouling,　respectively.　(C)　2016　Taiwan　Institute　of　Chemical　Engineers.　Published　by　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.