Sediment Filter for Well Water and More

What is a Sediment Filter?

Sediment filters are designed to capture and remove sand, silt, dirt, and rust from water. By removing these particulates from water, a sediment filter is able to protect a water treatment system, such as a water softener or UV water sterilizer, as well as water-using appliances. In a reverse osmosis water filter system, the sediment filter works as the first barrier, removing solid particles thus protecting the RO membrane and other filters from getting clogged and damaged by fine particles.

Although these particulates, known as "suspended solids", may be invisible to the naked eye, they are almost always present in untreated water.

When are Sediment Filters Used? Sediment filters are used in a variety of applications including filtration for all the city water coming into a home, well water treatment, restaurants, commercial applications, and more.

Do I Need a Whole-House Sediment Filter?

Whether you're on well water or city water, installing a sediment filter is a good idea. 

Sediment filters act as a barrier against particulates and grit that can foul your water filter system, clog household plumbing, and reduce the life of water-using appliances in the home such as a dishwasher, coffee machine, and water heater.

Sediment can also reduce the efficacy of a UV water filter system by hindering the ability of UV light to reach the waterborne illness-causing microbes. And if sediment is not filtered out before a whole-house water softener, sand or silt could enter the system and scratch and damage the fine-moving parts of the softener.

Because sediment filters are generally quite inexpensive, the protection they provide is usually well worth the extra expense.

How to Remove Sediment from Well Water

Well water often has a high level of organic matter and suspended solids. A  sediment filter is designed to catch and filter out these particulates.

For those on private wells, installing a sediment filter for well water is important for two reasons:

1. Sediment Filter Protects Plumbing and Appliances: Sediment build up can damage water-using appliances such a washing machine or dishwasher. Sediment in water can also corrode fixtures and clog piping and valves. A whole-house sediment filter for well water improves the overall quality of the water coming into the home, thus protecting household plumbing and all water-using appliances.
2. Sediment Filter Improves UV Filtration Effectiveness: The best way to purify well water, is to install a UV water disinfection system. Ultraviolet light destroys bacteria in well water, but sediment may hinder a UV systems' effectiveness. Sediment can create shadows for bacteria to "hide behind" in the ultraviolet process, and if UV light doesn't reach the bacteria or virus, it cannot destroy those waterborne microorganisms. For this reason, most UV system manufacturers highly recommend installing a sediment pre-filter before the UV system to ensure proper water treatment.

Again, in addition to sediment filtration for well water, a UV water sterilizer is the best long-term solution for treating well water. UV water treatment destroys illness-causing bacteria and viruses commonly found in well water. 

Best Sediment filter for Well Water

More than 19 million households in the U.S. are on private well water. Many have installed UV disinfection systems to protect the whole home from the threat of illness-causing microbes (such as E. coli, Hepatitis A, and Giardia)  in water.

Before a UV system is installed on well water, the incoming water to the UV system should be filtered of sediment and meet the following parameters:

• Manganese < 0.05 ppm
• Iron < 0.3 ppm
• Hardness < 7 gpg
• Turbidity < 1 NTU
• Tannins < 0.1 ppm
• UV Transmittance > 75%

In order to achieve the above parameters, a sediment prefilter is almost always necessary. Depending on the hardness level, a water softener may be needed, as well.  Again, an inexpensive sediment filter can do much to extend the life of the UV system, not to mention the improvement in UV effectiveness.

While any UV Water Purification Systems can work on a well water application, we recommend a UV system with a prefilter or combination sediment and carbon prefilters. The added carbon prefilter will help to improve the taste and odor of your water and this combination rack-mounted system is easy to install. It works 24/7 to protect the home from 99.99% harmful microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, cysts). **If you're not sure what contaminants are in your water, you can have your water tested by a lab. 

The Viqua IHS22-D4 is a top-rated system for well water sediment removal and bacteria/virus treatment. With flow rates at 12 gallons per minute, it can provide

IHS22-D4 features include:

 PRE-FILTER: Includes sediment and/or carbon with Lead Reduction pre-filtration

 LED STATUS MONITOR: Displays system components’ status and functionality

 END-OF-LIFE TIMER: Counts down the days until annual lamp replacement

 2X OUTPUT: 2X the output of standard lamps

Do I Need a Sediment Filter if on City Water?

Even if you receive your water from a municipal treatment plant (city water), there's still a very high chance that sediment is in your water. That's why an inline water sediment filter is a good idea. If you're on city water, you might also consider installing a UV water filter to ensure all illness-causing microbes are removed from your water.

Do I Need A Sediment Filter?

A sediment filter provides...

Protection for Water Softener: Sediment in water can especially become an issue when a water treatment system, such as a softener is installed. Water softeners have fine moving parts that can become scratched and fouled by sediment in the water. A sediment filter can trap dirt, silt, sand and other particulates out of your water. An inline sediment prefilter should be installed near the point where the water service line enters the house and before the water softener system.

Protection for Reverse Osmosis System: the membranes on a reverse osmosis system are delicate and can be easily clogged by sediment. That's why inexpensive sediment filters are important. They not only protect the RO membranes from fouling, but also help to extend the life of the complete reverse osmosis system. Sediment filtration is one of the stages in a multi-stage reverse osmosis system. 

If you're not sure what’s in your water, a copy of your city or county’s annual water quality report can be requested from your municipal water supplier. All municipal water suppliers in the United States must comply with Federal Safe Water Drinking Act regulations, which stipulate that water quality reports must be accessible to the public. A good place to start is on the EPAs Consumer Confidence state reporting page.

What is Water Filter Micron Rating?

Which sediment water filter you need depends on the quality of your water and the type of water filtration you may already have installed. 

Sediment filters are measured in "microns". The water filter micron rating indicates what size of contaminants the filter can trap and remove. The absolute value is the largest hole and the "nominal" rating is the average hole size.

A variety of sediment filters are available at different micron levels-- down to 1 micron. Filters with a high micron rating (i.e. 25 micron) have larger pores and are meant to filter particulates such as dirt particles, whereas a small size (like 1 micron) would filter and remove the Cryptosporidium parasite. To filter out bacteria, a .05 micron or smaller filter is recommended.

To put micron rating into perspective, 1 micron is .0004 inches, and a ground coffee grains are about 100 microns.

What Does a 0.5 Micron Water Filter Remove?

A 0.5 micron water filter is a very small filter (not to be confused with a 5-micron filter which has much, much larger holes). A 0.5-micron filter is fine enough to remove cysts, such as giardia and cryptosporidium.

Sediment Filters - Which is Best?

Depth Filters have the ability to capture dirt particles of various sizes. The outer filter layers have larger holes and trap bigger particles and the holes become increasingly smaller to trap smaller contaminants as it nears the filter core. For example, a filter might have a 25-micron material on the outside, and then the micron size reduces towards the inner part down to 1-micron rating, allowing it to trap and filter smaller-size particles.

Surface Filters only collect particulates on the outside pleated ridges of the filter. Some surface filters are recyclable meaning they can be washed and used again and again.

Reusable Filters are generally made of a durable polyester media that is chemical and bacteria resistant. These filters are made to catch large particulates and can we washed and reused again and again to extend the life of the cartridge. For these filters to be effective, they must be cleaned on a regular basis, and the maintenance schedule would vary depending on water quality.

Keep in mind that while a sediment filter can reduce sediment and decrease turbidity, sediment filters cannot remove heavy metals, chemicals or improve the taste and odor of water.

How Often Should I Replace My Sediment Filter?

How often sediment filters should be replaced depends on the quality of your water and the type of water filter system. But generally speaking, sediment filters should be replaced every three to six months. 

Sediment filters are inexpensive yet provide excellent value. In fact, they usually pay for themselves within a short amount of time.

Have questions about which sediment filter (or system that integrates sediment filtration) you need? Our support team is ready to answer your questions 8 am to 5 pm Central Time, Monday through Friday: (877) 377-9876.