A utility vacuum comprising: a canister; a powerhead assembly coupled to the canister and having a fan, a motor for providing rotary power to the fan, and a power supply for distributing electrical power to the motor, the fan including a fan inlet; and a shut-off device (110, 112) associated with the powerhead assembly, the shut-off device being configured to prevent the fan from drawing a liquid into the fan inlet when a volume of the liquid in the canister exceeds a predetermined volume; wherein the powerhead assembly includes a housing in which the fan, the motor and the power supply are housed, the housing including an inlet and an outlet, wherein operation of the utility vacuum draws an intake flow of air into the canister through the inlet and discharges a discharge flow of air through the outlet; and wherein a compartment, adapted to receive a battery for providing a source of direct current electrical power for powering the power supply, is defined by the housing and a lid, the lid being movable relative to the housing between a first condition, which permits ingress of the battery to the compartment and egress of the battery pack from the compartment, and a second condition, which inhibits ingress of the battery to the compartment and egress of the battery from the compartment; characterised by a filter coupled to the housing and configured to filter a flow of air into the fan inlet; and a filter gasket surrounding the fan inlet; wherein one of the filter and the fan inlet includes a retaining tab and the other one of the filter and the fan inlet includes a retaining slot for receiving the retaining tab and wherein the retaining tab and the retaining slot are configured such that when engaged to one another the filter gasket is compressed to sealingly engage the filter to the fan inlet; wherein the filter includes a filter flange; and the filter gasket is positioned adjacent the filter flange; wherein one of the filter flange and the fan inlet includes a retaining tab and the other one of the filter flange and the fan inlet includes a retaining slot for receiving the retaining tab and wherein the retaining tab and the retaining slot are configured such that when engaged to one another the filter flange is drawn in an axial direction toward the housing to sealingly engage the filter flange to the filter gasket. a canister; a powerhead assembly coupled to the canister and having a fan, a motor for providing rotary power to the fan, and a power supply for distributing electrical power to the motor, the fan including a fan inlet; and a shut-off device (110, 112) associated with the powerhead assembly, the shut-off device being configured to prevent the fan from drawing a liquid into the fan inlet when a volume of the liquid in the canister exceeds a predetermined volume; wherein the powerhead assembly includes a housing in which the fan, the motor and the power supply are housed, the housing including an inlet and an outlet, wherein operation of the utility vacuum draws an intake flow of air into the canister through the inlet and discharges a discharge flow of air through the outlet; and wherein a compartment, adapted to receive a battery for providing a source of direct current electrical power for powering the power supply, is defined by the housing and a lid, the lid being movable relative to the housing between a first condition, which permits ingress of the battery to the compartment and egress of the battery pack from the compartment, and a second condition, which inhibits ingress of the battery to the compartment and egress of the battery from the compartment; characterised by a filter coupled to the housing and configured to filter a flow of air into the fan inlet; and a filter gasket surrounding the fan inlet; wherein one of the filter and the fan inlet includes a retaining tab and the other one of the filter and the fan inlet includes a retaining slot for receiving the retaining tab and wherein the retaining tab and the retaining slot are configured such that when engaged to one another the filter gasket is compressed to sealingly engage the filter to the fan inlet; wherein the filter includes a filter flange; and the filter gasket is positioned adjacent the filter flange; wherein one of the filter flange and the fan inlet includes a retaining tab and the other one of the filter flange and the fan inlet includes a retaining slot for receiving the retaining tab and wherein the retaining tab and the retaining slot are configured such that when engaged to one another the filter flange is drawn in an axial direction toward the housing to sealingly engage the filter flange to the filter gasket.