Doulton filters have been used to purify drinking water since 1827. Doulton water filters were developed by the same company that now makes figurines and fine china. Doulton water filters were invented by John Doulton in response to the many outbreaks of waterborne disease that ravaged his native England and the rest of the world.

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At the core of each Doulton ceramic filter element is a material called Diatomaceous Earth. Diatomaceous earth is a fossil substance made up of tiny silicon shells left by trillions of microscopic, one celled algae called diatoms that have inhabited the waters of the earth for the last 150 million years.

Diatoms are unique among algae in their physical structure. Each diatom weaves a complex microscopic shell that is used to protect the algae and also used for locomotion. Each shell is covered in a pattern of very tiny and uniform holes. It is the holes and their regularity that give Dalton water filters their unique filtration qualities. As large quantities of ancient diatoms died, their shells accumulated on sea floors. Eventually these seas dried up leaving huge deposits of this diatomaceous earth. It is this diatomaceous earth that John Doulton used for his now famous Dalton water filters.

Today's version of the Dalton water filters uses a porous ceramic impregnated with silver. The ceramic material acts as a physical barrier to bacterial cells trapping them in the porous structure of the filter. Dalton filters are able to filter down to 0.22 microns making them an extremely effective barrier for bacteria contaminated water. The growth of any bacteria that are trapped within or on the outside of the filter element is controlled with the added silver. When exposed to water, silver releases positive ions which effectively control bacterial reproduction.

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