Low cost inlet filters for rainwater tanks

Inlet filters are a common method for enhancing water quality in rainwater harvesting systems. They range from cheap cloth or gravel filters to complex and expensive multi-stage systems. Field experience has shown, however that filters often suffer from a lack of maintenance so self-cleaning is an advantage. Filters can clean themselves by dividing the water stream into two components; the first and largest is the clean water passed to the tank, the second much smaller component can be used to carry away suspended particulates. This paper reports the results of a series of laboratory tests on the abilities of very simple filters to remove particulates from roof run-off water. The low-cost (