An apparatus for filtering a fluid for an irrigation emitter comprising: a) an irrigation outlet; b) a flushing outlet; c) an inlet conduit connectable to a fluid source; d) a cavity having at least three openings, a first opening to said irrigation outlet and a second opening to said flushing outlet and a third opening to said inlet conduit, and e) a rotatable element having at least two apertures [212, 228], said rotatable element configured for switching between an operational position and a flushing position by rotating within said cavity to align at least one of said at least two apertures [212, 228] with at least one of said at least three opening; said rotating element including a filtering aperture, and said filtering aperture movable by rotating said rotatable element between: i) said operational position wherein substantially all of the fluid flowing into the apparatus is directed through said filtering aperture and out said irrigation outlet and ii) a flushing position wherein the direction of flow through said filtering aperture is reversed with respect to the direction of flow in said operational position such that said filtering aperture is backwashed; and characterized in that the apparatus further comprises f) a cofiltering element and wherein in said operational position said filtering aperture is aligned with said cofiltering element to block particles from said fluid source from passing through said filtering aperture and in said flushing position said filtering aperture is positioned to clear said cofiltering element allowing particles from said fluid source to pass through said filtering aperture and out said flushing outlet. a) an irrigation outlet; b) a flushing outlet; c) an inlet conduit connectable to a fluid source; d) a cavity having at least three openings, a first opening to said irrigation outlet and a second opening to said flushing outlet and a third opening to said inlet conduit, and e) a rotatable element having at least two apertures [212, 228], said rotatable element configured for switching between an operational position and a flushing position by rotating within said cavity to align at least one of said at least two apertures [212, 228] with at least one of said at least three opening; said rotating element including a filtering aperture, and said filtering aperture movable by rotating said rotatable element between: i) said operational position wherein substantially all of the fluid flowing into the apparatus is directed through said filtering aperture and out said irrigation outlet and ii) a flushing position wherein the direction of flow through said filtering aperture is reversed with respect to the direction of flow in said operational position such that said filtering aperture is backwashed; and i) said operational position wherein substantially all of the fluid flowing into the apparatus is directed through said filtering aperture and out said irrigation outlet and ii) a flushing position wherein the direction of flow through said filtering aperture is reversed with respect to the direction of flow in said operational position such that said filtering aperture is backwashed; and f) a cofiltering element and wherein in said operational position said filtering aperture is aligned with said cofiltering element to block particles from said fluid source from passing through said filtering aperture and in said flushing position said filtering aperture is positioned to clear said cofiltering element allowing particles from said fluid source to pass through said filtering aperture and out said flushing outlet.