What does micron mean?

A micron, also known as a micrometre, is a metric unit of measure used in the scientific fields of Physical Chemistry and physics.

One micron is equal to 0.001mm (millimetre) or 0.000039 inches (1) therefore, a micrometer is a millionth part of a meter.

The micrometer is also frequently used to measure the thickness/length of microscopic material such as microorganisms as well as minute distances (1).

How big is a micron? 

How many microns should a water filter be?

Finding the right micron filter depends on your water supply. For example, a 5 micron Washable Tank Water Pre-Filter Cartridge is ideal for tank or river water supplies where high levels of sediment, sand, dirt and rust are present.

It is important to consider what you want to remove from the water. Cysts and parasites can be present in tap water supplies and can make us seriously ill. To avoid this, it's recommended to use a sub micron filter like our Hi-Tech Optimiser (HTO) for town water or the Doulton Ultracarb  Cartridge for tank water supply.

According to NSW Health Government “not all filters remove or inactivate harmful microorganisms. If a filter is used it should be certified against an appropriate standard (such as AS/NZS 4348:1995 and/or NSF/ANSI 42 and 53). An absolute 1 micron (or smaller) filter is necessary to remove Cryptosporidium and Giardia.”(2)

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