Successful operation of water filtration processes in small systems requires time, effort, and an understanding of how filtration works. The purpose of this paper is to briefly describe filtration processes that may be used in small systems, to explain how they work, and to discuss operation and maintenance procedures. Three different filtration processes are used for small systems and are specifically recognized in the Surface Water Treatment Rule: coagulation and filtration, slow sand filtration, and diatomaceous earth filtration. All of these processes can filter particles out of water, but some of the concepts involved in particle removal are different for each process. For each of the three types of processes, some potential problems and their consequences, important operating aspects, and some maintenance concerns are addressed.