<p>With the decline of freshwater resources, attention is increasingly directed towards recovering, reusing, and recycling water. In addition, stringent compliance mandates for wastewater disposal, increasing treatment expenses, and spatial limitations necessitate an alternative solution. Due to its wide applicability, membrane technology has received significant attention in conjunction with biological treatment methods. Numerous studies have demonstrated satisfactory performance attributes of membrane systems over a few decades. This paper presents a comprehensive review of MBR operation, delving into the configurations, design attributes, membrane fouling, and strategies for its control. Furthermore, the possibilities and implementation of MBR as a viable solution for wastewater treatment have been examined. The data regarding process parameters and effluent quality are presented to assess the key findings of the aerobic membrane bioreactor (AeMBR). Essential elements like loading rates, retention time, cross-flow velocities, types of membranes, membrane fouling, and backwashing are also reviewed. This study delves deeper into contemporary mathematical models and simulations aimed at forecasting MBR efficiency. The focus is on employing membranes as solid/liquid separators, which are essential for attaining directly reusable effluent quality. The review also accounts for a financial analysis, for the selection of a process based on economic feasibility.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>