Sediment water filters are designed to remove dirt, debris, rust, and sand present in water. Although these particulates, known as suspended solids, may be invisible to the naked eye, they are almost always present in untreated water. Sediment filters also remove turbidity from water; the yellow, orange or brown cloudiness that can appear in water due to the presence of suspended solids.

Sediment filters block unwanted particulate matter from getting into your water supply through a process known as mechanical filtration.

These filters don’t remove chemicals, heavy metals, or dissolved particulate matter. Nor do they improve the taste or smell of water.

Usually installed as pre-filters before water passes through UV or RO systems, sediment filters act as the first line of defence against contaminants that can foul water filtration systems, clog household plumbing, and reduce the life of water-using appliances in the home.

There are three main types of sediment filters: Pleated, Melt-Blown and String Wound.

1. Pleated sediment filters look a bit like an accordion with thin sheets of filter media like polyester or polypropylene. A large number of pleats gives this sediment filter much more dirt-holding capacity than other types of sediment filters. As the filter’s pleats take on dirt, a layer is formed on the filter that amplifies the filter’s efficiency. Pleated sediment filters that are 5 microns or above can be washed and reused.
2. Melt-blown sediment filters are made up of layered fibres, where the inner core of the cartridge is denser than the outer core. As the water passes through the filter walls, the filter can clarify increasingly finer particulates. They’re also often referred to as PP (Polypropylene) Spun filters and are very good at filtering particulates of varying micron sizes because of the graduated layers.
3. String Wound sediment filters are made of tightly wound cotton, polyester, or polypropylene string. This string is wrapped firmly around a core, creating a graded density that will trap particulate matter. As water travels through the layers of string, finer and finer particulate matter is removed. The strings can begin to loosen when the filter becomes overloaded with sediment and you’ll need to replace it.

Celtic Water Solutions supplies a wide range of sediment water filters which can be used in reverse osmosis water filtration systems or 10” or 20” filter housings.