Membrane-based filtration systems, particularly ultrafiltration (UF), are widely adopted for water treatment because of their ability to remove pathogens from organic matter, and particulates. However, membrane fouling remains a persistent challenge that reduces efficiency, lowers permeating quality, and increases operating costs. This study evaluates a lab-scale UF membrane system under three conditions: continuous filtration without backwash, filtration with a 10-min. Backwash interval, and filtration with a 20-min. Backwash interval. River water was used as feed, and performance was monitored with real-time pressure, flow, and turbidity sensors integrated with LabVIEW. Continuous operation without backwash led to rapid flux decline and rising transmembrane pressure (TMP), with a strong negative Pearson correlation value 0.928 between flux and TMP. Both 10 and 20-min. Intervals improved flux recovery, but the 10-min. Interval provided more stable flux and controlled fouling buildup, while the 20-min. Interval yielded higher short-term recoveries but greater fluctuations. Absolute and relative flux recovery analyses highlight dynamic, non-linear backwash behavior, suggesting that fixed schedules are sub-optimal. Findings emphasize the importance of optimizing backwash frequency for operational stability, with implications for both small and large-scale water treatment systems.