Irrigation Filters

Effective filtration is essential if the clogging of irrigation nozzles and solenoids is to be prevented. The irrigation filter required depends on the quality of the water, the water flow and also the type of irrigation system. Filters for drip irrigation systems need to be finer than irrigation filters used with field sprinklers.

If no filter is fitted into the irrigation system then fine particles of dirt can be drawn into the irrigation system. This can then clog up dripper nozzles and cause solenoid valves to stick open, wasting water. Cleaning dirt and sediment from existing pipework can be time consuming and costly. Blocked drippers or sprinklers can cause the loss of plants.

Screen filters are the lowest cost irrigation filter available and are generally only used on clean water supplies. The screens are either made from plastic mesh or stainless steel. Disc filters are more expensive but have a greater capacity before they require cleaning – important for non-mains water supplies such as wells, ponds, rivers and lakes. Inside the filter is a series of discs that are tightly packed together, and the structure is tree-dimensional, much more dirt can be caught before the filter starts to become clogged.

Semi-automatic filters make cleaning easier and generally include an indicator to show that the filter needs cleaning. Commonly the semi-automatic filter will have a rotating handle attached to an internal brush to clean the filter screen. Dirty water is then flushed out of an exhaust port.

Sand filters are designed for use where high volumes of water are pumped from very dirty water sources such as rivers or lakes.