the invention relates to a method for managing the plugging of membrane modules and of filtration membranes , in particular for nanofiltration , ultrafiltration or reverse osmosis for desalinating water , which comprises carrying out consecutive rinsing operations for controlling clogging , in particular biological clogging : evaluating the thickness of the biofilm ; starting a rinsing operation at the latest when the evaluated thickness of the biofilm exceeds a first predetermined setpoint value for the biofilm thickness and stopping the rinsing operation not before the biofilm thickness has become lower than a second predetermined setpoint value lower than the first one for the biofilm thickness .