A water filter cartridge is central to the smooth operation of the water filtration system. It is that part of the system where the purification actually takes place. Thus, it is crucial to understand how this works in order to determine the effectiveness of the filter you would choose to use. Although there is no perfect water filter which can totally remove all the contaminants in your water, a combination of several types of water filter cartridges may be able to come up only short with this.

One type of water filter cartridge is the sediment cartridge. It has the ability to remove fine particle such as sand, mud, asbestos, silt, and turbidity from the water. Because of this, these products are normally rated based on the type and size of the particles they can remove. The smaller the micron (a thousandth of a millimeter), the smaller the size of the particle it can filter out.

Sediment water filter cartridge are normally made up of pleated polyesters, cellulose fibers or other porous ceramic materials. These materials are very cheap compared to the materials used with other cartridges and it is where sediment cartridges got its other name of low-cost infiltration cartridges. Usually, care for these cartridges involves washing them often. But this is not possible in some brands, that is why replacement is the only option.

Another type of water filter cartridge is the carbon cartridges. They are generally composed of activated carbon or carbon fiber block which are used to de-chlorinate water and remove trihalomethanes, lead, endrin, herbicides/pesticides, radon and toluene in the water. Compared to the sediment cartridges, carbon cartridges remove finer particles and helps clarify the water and removes the accumulated taste in it. Unfortunately, there is no way to clean this type of cartridges. Thus, replacement is the sole option but it can last longer than sediment ones.

Carbon cartridges are also generally more expensive than sediment water filter cartridges. However, they are tried and tested to be more effective in water purification. This is because of the more porous materials used on them and the more recent technology they employ.

Since the best water filtration systems involve two stages of purification, a combination of these two water filter cartridge would work best. The first step usually involves the use of the sediment cartridge wherein slightly larger particles are removed. The second step, meanwhile, is the use of activated carbon cartridges which removes the finer particles.

Water filter cartridges are available in a large number of hardware stores and water supplies store. Their cost varies according to the model of the filter you are using and the capacity. They may seem costly. But the benefits and the advantages that go with it are priceless.