Abstract: A portable water filter has a first cylindrical container for holding a quantity of liquid to be treated. Included in the filter is a water filter cartridge which is mounted with respect to the first container for treating liquid which is pumped through the filtering material within the cartridge. A second container is coupled to the cartridge and arranged to receive the liquid pumped through the cartridge from the first container. The arrangement is such as to permit manual pumping of the liquid from that first container through the cartridge into the second container. Desirably, the pumping action is achieved by telescopingly inserting the second container within the first container. In addition to its direct treatment of the liquid, the filtering material serves to remove undesired color, taste and odor induced by a disinfectant or bactericidal agent used with the system.