The disclosed technology regards a water/solids separator for filtering slurry into residue cakes and filtrate water. The separator includes a frame supporting a plurality of rollers supporting a filter media belt, a plurality of blades and wipers for cleaning the rollers and removing excess filtrate water and cake material, and an inlet water manifold to distribute slurry water uniformly on the filter media belt. The frame supports a filter bed, with a slurry receiving area having a perforated panel at its base, for receiving, pre-filtering and moving the slurry through the separator, and a filter bed collection tub with an exit aperture for collecting and delivering filtrate to a water holding tank. The filter media belt traverses the plurality of rollers, through and about the filter bed, supported along a portion of its path by the perforated panel. Both a residue cake bin and a clean water holding tank may be provided with the system to collect residue and filtrate water, respectively, for re-use or disposal. The present invention also regards a method for separating filtrate water and cake residue from slurry, using the water/solids separator herein described, by continuously providing slurry through the inlet water manifold, while powering the gear motor to cause rotation of the drive roll, resulting in rotation of the filter media about the plurality of rollers. By this method and the disclosed technology, a portion of the water from the slurry is removed, through the filter media belt and the perforated panel.