3M water filtration systems are one of the most trusted brands among industry experts when it comes to the provision of clean filtered drinking water. The 3MTM High Flow Series Filtration System is a line of products which uses state-of-the-art carbon filtration technology, innovative and compact design to provide high-quality water by reducing particulate, cyst, chlorine taste and odor, and bacteria.
The high flow rate and the large treatment capacity for the 3MTM High Flow Series HF40 model makes it suitable for a broad range of applications. From multi-family household drinking, cooking, and cleaning purposes to the beverage industry (for cafes, bars, restaurants, etc.).
This article provides a comprehensive overview of the 3MTM High Flow Series describing the features and benefits, applications compared to other filter brands, and finally, filter specifications and operating parameters.
What is the technology behind 3MTM High Flow Series Filters?
The 3MTM High Flow Series uses a specific type of treatment technology called Integrated Membrane Pre-Activated Carbon Technology (IMPACT) to achieve pathogen removal, cyst reduction, and to treat taste and odor issues. This technology combines a filter membrane with premium activated carbon to provide excellent throughput and enhanced cartridge life.
Table 1 below shows the performance of 3MTM High Flow Series in contaminant reduction (chlorine taste and odor, particulate matter, and microbial cyst) as determined by NSF testing. As shown in Table 1, the HF40 series helps achieve an average reduction of 96.6 % in chlorine taste and odor, 99.5% reduction in particulate matter, and over 99.99% reduction in microbial (Giardia) cysts.
What are the features and benefits of High Flow Series water filters?
The features and benefits of the HF40 series are summarized in Table 2 shown below. It should be noted that the HF40 series offers a high flow capability of 94,000 liters per filter, thus, reducing the filter replacement frequency. The 3MTM High Flow Series include Sanitary Quick Change (SQC) encapsulated cartridge design that reduces media contamination during replacements. The product label and operating manual provide specific instructions on cartridge replacement frequency. However, it is mostly between 6-12 months depending upon the local water quality and actual use of the filter capacity. A drastic change in water taste or reduction in flow rate is a good indication for filter cartridge replacement.
Table 2 – Features and Benefits of the HF40 Series
Filter Comparison
The key distinguishing factor between HF40 series and other competitive off-brands is the compact system design offered by the HF40 series. Figure 1 below shows a comparison between the 3M HF40 filter system and competitive 2.5” cartridges in 1325 liters per minute and 7571 liters per minute systems. Figure 1 shows that:
- The 3M HF40 series require 90% fewer cartridges as competitive 2.5” cartridge system for a given flow rate
- The 3M HF40 filter housing is 33% to 50% smaller than competitively sized housings for a given flow rate
- The 3M HF40 series has fewer filters and a user-friendly housing design. This means faster change-outs than competitively-sized systems.
Cost Comparison
Table 3 shows the cost comparison between the 3M HF40 model and an off-brand high flow water filter system. The cost of the 3M HF40 (with installation) is 50% less than the off-brand (TWDC) high flow filter with 15 times more capacity than the TWDC filters. 3M filters can treat up to 94,000 liters of water, whereas the TWDC filters can treat only up to 6,264 liters Additionally, the TWDC filters do not provide all the features of the HF40 series. Although the filter helps in removing bacteria, sediment, chlorine taste, and odor issues. However, the HF40 provides much higher flow rates and offers the unique IMPACT technology that uses carbon to treat taste and odor issues and organic removal.
Clean and aesthetically pleasing water is both a pleasure and a reassurance that water is of optimal quality for drinking, cooking, beverage production, and other purposes. The 3M HF40 filtration system from 3M Purification can provide filtered water that may help protect beverage equipment and profits for restaurant owners. The cost and benefit analysis for the HF40 series make it an ideal choice for water filtration systems for a broad range of applications.
Water treatment experts at 
can help their customers analyze the water quality and recommend good quality filtration systems like the 3MTM High Flow Series HF40. Saniwater is one of the exclusive suppliers and consultants for 3M™ Water Filtration Products particularly the 3MTM High Flow Series HF40 model. Our consultants can help customers with suitable recommendations for organic matter removal and to resolve taste and odor issues. The technicians can also help with installation of the recommended filter products. Saniwater is dedicated to offer best solutions to meet the drinking water requirements of their customers.
