In a house water system, two sediment cartridge sizes that do not fit each other are both sold as 10-inch. This page prices the Guatemalan market for housings, cartridges and backwashing units as it was on 2 October 2026, at Cemaco, EWS and Aquasistemas, and explains how to tell the two apart.
The three-line version. (1) 10-inch housing Q77 (EWS slim) to Q109.99 (Cemaco FilterPro), Big Blue 10-inch Q288; cartridges Q12 slim against Q57 Big Blue. (2) Slim and Big Blue cartridges do not interchange; buy the housing and cartridges as a pair. (3) Makers’ change interval: 3 to 6 months; on cistern water, put a coarse stage first or the fine one clogs fast.
Prices are dated catalog readings, not quotes. Conversions: exchange rates.
Housings
| Housing (2 Oct 2026) | Price | Where | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slim 10-inch | Q77 | EWS | — |
| FilterPro 10-inch | Q109.99 | Cemaco | 1/2-inch connection, takes standard 10-inch cartridges, pressure-release button |
| Foset FILA-P1, with 25-micron cartridge | Q156.99 | Cemaco | 0.2-7 kg/cm² operating range |
| Slim 20-inch | Q184 | EWS | — |
| Rotoplas standard sediment filter | Q224.95 | Cemaco | Maker recommends a cartridge change every 3-6 months |
| Big Blue 10-inch | Q288 | EWS | Bracket Q138, housing wrench Q37 extra |
| Big Blue 20-inch | Q390 | EWS | — |
| Foset Jumbo (line or cistern) | Q399.99 | Cemaco | Its cartridge Q139.99 |
| Double Big Blue 20-inch housing with bracket | Q1,086 | EWS | — |
Cartridges
| Cartridge (2 Oct 2026) | Price | Where |
|---|---|---|
| PPMB slim 10-inch (1, 5 or 10 micron) | Q12 | EWS |
| PPMB slim 20-inch | Q25 | EWS |
| FilterPro 10-inch 5-micron | Q39.99 | Cemaco |
| PPMB Big Blue 10-inch | Q57 | EWS |
| Foset 25-micron replacement | Q67.99 | Cemaco |
| Pall 5-micron 10-inch | Q70 | EWS |
| Viqua NSF-certified 5-micron 10-inch | Q79 | EWS |
| Aquatec sediment cartridge | Q99.99 | Cemaco |
| PPMB Big Blue 20-inch | Q115 | EWS |
| Refillable Big Blue | Q168 | EWS |
| Viqua NSF Big Blue 20-inch, graded 10 to 1 micron | Q284 | EWS |
The trap: two 10-inch standards
The number on the box is the length. The diameter is what decides whether a cartridge seals: a slim housing takes a 2.5-inch-wide cartridge, a Big Blue a 4.5-inch one, and neither fits the other. We caught this in August 2026: the sediment cartridge sold locally at Q23 on 5 August 2026 was a slim one, and our housing is a Big Blue. The story is on our pressure pump page.
The price gap tells you why both exist. At EWS on 2 October 2026 a Big Blue 10-inch cartridge cost Q57 against Q12 for a slim one, 4.75 times as much, and the Big Blue housing Q288 against Q77, about 3.7 times. The fat cartridge carries more filter media for the same length, and on a whole-house line the cartridge price is only half the cost: the other half is how often you change it.
How often, and in what order
Both maker listings we captured at Cemaco give the same interval: change every 3 to 6 months, depending on water quality and use (FilterPro cartridge, Rotoplas standard filter). That is the maker’s figure, not a promise for cistern water.
On a cistern, our house’s plan is two stages (the spin-down is bought but was not yet installed when we wrote this): a self-flushing 50-micron spin-down first, which rinses itself on a timer, then a Big Blue with a 5-micron cartridge. A 5-micron cartridge alone on cistern water clogs fast because it catches everything. A search for spin-down filters returned nothing at EWS or Aquasistemas, the two water-equipment catalogs we searched for one on 2 October 2026; we priced an import of one at about Q1,950-2,050 landed against Q2,389 at a local reseller’s Amazon mirror, both on 23 August 2026. The Big Blue housing we bought locally for Q275 on 30 August 2026.
Where it goes. Rotoplas’s own listing recommends its filter after the water meter, on the line to the tinaco or the house. We do the opposite on purpose: nothing on the street inlet, because the float valve fills the cistern on whatever pressure the street gives and a clogged filter there starves the cistern without anyone noticing. Our filters go after the pump, never on its suction side. Both are written positions; pick yours knowing which failure you would rather have.
When a cartridge is not enough: backwashing filters
EWS sells assembled sediment filters that clean themselves by backwashing instead of using cartridges. The smallest automatic unit, EWS-FP110A at Q2,730, is rated 5 GPM in service and 7 GPM in backwash; the manual-valve version EWS-FP110M was Q1,717. The range ran up to Q87,415 for commercial sizes. Backwash water has to go to a drain, so plan the plumbing before the purchase.
Import or buy here?
Water filtering machinery (heading 8421.21) carried 0% duty on SIECA’s Central American tariff on 2 October 2026, plus 12% IVA on value and freight. Housings and cartridges are in stock locally at the prices above, so importing them makes sense only for a part nobody here sells, like the spin-down. Our import channels page has the courier side.
Sediment filtration only removes particles. It does not soften water or make it drinkable: hardness is the water softener page, drinking water the reverse osmosis page, and what is safe to drink where is in our water safety guide.
Part of our setting up a house in Guatemala cluster: cistern, tinaco and pressure tank · water pressure pump · water heater · importing a solar battery.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a sediment filter cost in Guatemala?
On 2 October 2026: a slim 10-inch housing cost Q77 at EWS and a FilterPro 10-inch housing for standard cartridges Q109.99 at Cemaco, a 10-inch Big Blue housing Q288 and a 20-inch Big Blue Q390 at EWS. Cartridges ran from Q12 for a slim 10-inch polypropylene one to Q57 for a 10-inch Big Blue and Q115 for a 20-inch Big Blue at EWS; Cemaco’s 10-inch 5-micron cartridge was Q39.99. Backwashing sediment filters, a different class of machine, started at Q1,717 (manual) and Q2,730 (automatic).
What is the difference between a slim and a Big Blue filter?
Diameter. Both are sold as 10-inch or 20-inch, but a Big Blue housing takes a fat 4.5-inch cartridge and a slim housing a 2.5-inch one, and the cartridges do not interchange. The fat cartridge carries more filter media for the same length and costs more: Q57 against Q12 for the same 10-inch length at EWS on 2 October 2026, about 4.75 times as much.
How often do I change a sediment cartridge?
The makers’ own listings at Cemaco said every 3 to 6 months, depending on water quality and use, for both the FilterPro 10-inch cartridge and the Rotoplas standard sediment filter. On cistern water with grit, a single fine cartridge can clog much sooner; that is why our house’s plan puts a self-flushing 50-micron spin-down ahead of the 5-micron cartridge (bought, not yet installed when we wrote this).
Where should a sediment filter be installed?
Rotoplas’s listing recommends installing its standard sediment filter after the water meter, on the line that feeds the tinaco or the house. Our own house does the opposite on purpose: nothing on the street inlet, because a filter there that clogs can starve the cistern without anyone noticing, and the filters sit after the pump instead. Both are written positions; choose knowing the trade-off.
Is there import duty on water filters?
Water filtering machinery (heading 8421.21) carried 0% duty on SIECA’s Central American tariff when we read it on 2 October 2026; 12% IVA still applies on the value plus freight. Cartridges are cheap and light, so the real cost of importing them is the courier minimum, not the tax.
