Biological　activated　carbon　(BAC)　and　membrane　bioreactor　(MBR)　were　systematically　compared　for　the　drinking　water　treatment　from　slightly　polluted　raw　water　under　the　same　hydraulic　retention　time　(HRT)　of　0.5　h.　MBR　exhibited　excellent　turbidity　removal　capacity　due　to　the　separation　of　the　membrane;　while　only　60%　of　influent　turbidity　was　intercepted　by　BAC.　Perfect　nitrification　was　achieved　by　MBR　with　the　89%　reduction　in　ammonia;　by　contrast,　BAC　only　eliminated　a　moderate　amount　of　influent　ammonia　(by　54.5%).　However,　BAC　was　able　to　remove　more　dissolved　organic　matter　(DOM,　especially　for　organic　molecules　of　3,000,　500　Daltons)　and　corresponding　disinfection　by-product　formation　potential　(DBPFP)　in　raw　water　than　MBR.　Unfortunately,　particulate　organic　matter　(POM)　was　detected　in　the　BAC　effluent.　On　the　other　hand,　BAC　and　MBR　displayed　essentially　the　same　capacity　for　biodegradable　organic　matter　(BOM)　removal.　Fractionation　of　DOM　showed　that　the　removal　efficiencies　of　hydrophobic　neutrals,　hydrophobic　acids,　weakly　hydrophobic　acids　and　hydrophilic　organic　matter　through　BAC　treatment　were　11.7%,　8.8%,　13.9%　and　4.8%　higher　than　that　through　MBR;　while　MBR　achieved　13.8%　higher　hydrophobic　bases　removal　as　compared　with　BAC.