This study investigated the feasibility of enhanced MABR for the surface water treatment. Membrane module suitable for efficient aeration and microbial adhesion was designed. In Phase 1, only half of the membrane modules were aerated to facilitate the formation of stable biofilm with aerobic and anaerobic microbial community, achieving the simultaneous hydrolytic-acidification, aerobic oxidation, and nitrification-denitrification effects. In Phase 2, all the membrane modules were aerated and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) was utilized as carbon resource to promote the microbial growth. Nitrogen and phosphorus were bio-transformed concurrently. At the 28th day, the enhanced MABR was entirely lifted out to prevent pollutants further releasing back into the water. Conclusively, effective performance of the enhanced MABR was attained during the surface water treatment and the average effluent concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (CODcr), UV254, ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N), total-nitrogen (TN), total phosphorous (TP) and turbidity were 35 mg/l, 0.03 cm(-1), 0.21 mg/l, 1.5mg/l, 0.23 mg/l and 3.12 NTU, respectively. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.