The　newly　issued　National　Drinking　Water　Standard　required　that　turbidity　should　be　lower　than　1　NTU,　and　the　substitution　of　sand　filtration　by　immersed　ultrafiltration　(immersed-UF)　is　feasible　to　achieve　the　standard.　This　study　aimed　to　optimise　the　operational　processes　(i.e.　aeration,　backwashing)　through　pilot　scale　studies,　to　control　membrane　fouling　while　treating　the　sedimentation　effluent.　Results　indicated　that　the　immersed-UF　was　promising　to　treat　the　sedimentation　effluent.　The　turbidity　was　below　0.10　NTU,　bacteria　and　E.　coli　were　not　detected　in　the　permeate　water.　The　intermittent　filtration　with　aeration　is　beneficial　to　inhibit　membrane　fouling.　The　critical　aeration　intensity　is　observed　to　be　60.0　m(3)　m-(2)　h(-1).　At　this　aeration　intensity,　the　decline　rate　of　permeate　flux　in　one　period　of　backwashing　was　1.94%　and　7.03%　for　intermittent　filtration　and　sustained　filtration　respectively.　The　different　membrane　backwashing　methods　(i.e.　aeration　1.5　min,　synchronous　aeration　and　water　backwashing　2　min,　water　backwashing　1.5　min;　synchronous　aeration　and　water　backwashing　3　min,　water　backwashing　2　min;　aeration　3　min,　single　water　backwashing　2　min;　synchronous　aeration　and　water　backwashing　5　min;　single　water　backwashing　5　min)　on　the　recovery　of　permeate　flux　were　compared,　indicating　that　the　synchronous　aeration　and　water　backwashing　exhibited　best　potential　for　permeate　flux　recovery.　The　optimal　intensity　of　water　backwashing　is　shown　to　be　90.0　L　m(-2)　h(-1).　When　the　actual　water　intensity　was　below　or　exceeded　the　value,　the　recovery　rate　of　permeate　flux　would　be　reduced.　Additionally,　the　average　operating　cost　for　the　immersed　UF　membrane,　including　the　power,　the　chemical　cleaning　reagents,　and　membrane　modules　replacement,　was　about　0.31　RMB/m(3).