Membrane / support arrangement

The present invention provides a supported membrane assembly comprising a membrane adhered to a support material by way of a nonwoven web of multicomponent fibers therebetween, wherein the multicomponent fibers comprise a first polymer and a second polymer such that the second polymer is present on at least a portion of the surface of the multicomponent fibers and has a softening temperature below the softening temperatures of the first polymer, the membrane, and the support material, and the supported membrane assembly has a water flow rate at least about 20% of the water flow rate of the membrane alone. The present invention also provides a filter element comprising a housing and such a supported membrane assembly, as well as a method of preparing such a supported membrane assembly and methods of using such a supported membrane assembly.