Currently,　drinking　water　(DW)　safety　has　been　increasingly　concerned,　and　membranes　as　an　advanced　treatment　technology　have　been　widely　used.　This　paper　reviews　the　membrane　processes　in　the　DW　advanced　treatment　process:　reverse　osmosis,　nanofiltration,　ultrafiltration　purification,　and　microfiltration.　The　filtration　mechanisms　and　operating　conditions　of　the　four　membranes　are　studied.　Generally,　the　membrane　process　is　combined　with　the　conventional　process　to　obtain　satisfactory　results　in　DW　treatment.　Moreover,　membrane　contamination　is　an　inevitable　issue　in　the　application,　and　the　ways　to　avoid　these　issues　are　via　cleaning,　changing　the　membrane　material,　and　introducing　the　influent　water　pretreatment.　In　this　paper,　progress　is　introduced　through　the　research　and　application　of　membrane　technology　to　provide　more　purification　means　for　DW　treatment.　©　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　license　to　Springer　Nature　Switzerland　AG　2024.