Berkey® Systems FAQ Knowledge Base

HEALTHY – Berkey® systems not only removes viruses, harmful pathogenic bacteria, cysts and parasites as well as unhealthy chemical contaminants and impurities. It leaves in the essential minerals your body needs.

CONVENIENT – Berkey® systems assemble in minutes without tools, electricity, water pressure or plumbing. They are simple to operate and maintain.

ECONOMICAL – Berkey® systems unique design allows you to easily remove and clean the purification elements over and over again.

POWERFUL – Berkey® systems can easily purify ordinary tap water but can also efficiently purify raw, untreated water from sources such as remote lakes and streams. Berkey® systems are the ideal water purification systems to have during an event of natural disasters such as blackouts, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes as well as local or national emergencies, when treated tap water may not be available.

FLEXIBLE – Berkey® systems are so convenient and easy to use, you can take them anywhere: on vacations, hunting & camping trips, college dorms and they are ideal systems for RVs and pleasure craft.

ELEGANT – The elegant high-grade polished 304 stainless steel design makes Berkey® systems an attractive addition to any kitchen or home yet each system is both rugged and durable.

PROVEN HISTORY – The same high quality and effectiveness of the gravity filtration process that is utilized in Berkey® systems, has stood the test of time. Gravity filtration has been used by relief organizations such as UNICEF, the Peace Corps, Red Cross Societies Internationally, missionaries and relief workers in over 140 countries throughout the world.

 

Power of the Black Berkey® Purification Elements 

Black Berkey® Purification Elements are more powerful than any other gravity filter element currently available and the effective and efficient filtration of the Black Berkey® Purification Elements surpasses all other competitors because of the unique combination of the age-old process of micro-porous filtration coupled with modern state-of-the-art technology. The micropores within the Black Berkey® Elements are so small that viruses and pathogenic bacteria are simply not able to pass through them.

Many water filters on the market claim to be a water purifier, but do not meet the performance specifications. The Black Berkey® Purification Elements can be classified as water purifiers because they remove 99.9999% of pathogenic bacteria and 99.999% of viruses, which greatly exceeds the standard.

The Black Berkey® Purification Element formulation has been tested by State and EPA accredited laboratories to exceed NSF/ANSI Standard 53.

Black Berkey® Purification Elements do not remove beneficial (ionic) minerals from your water supply.

Electrolytes are compounds such as sodium, potassium, calcium, etc. They help perform the functions of muscle contraction and heartbeat among other various bodily tasks. Many electrolytes also fall under the category of beneficial minerals, so we do not have specific test results for electrolytes.

While other filtration systems rely upon only one water pressure that forces water molecules through filter elements at 60-90 PSI, these water molecules only come into contact with filter media for a mere fraction of a second. With Berkey Water systems, water molecules are passed through the "Tortuous Path" structure of the Black Berkey purification elements, drawn gently by gravity and stays in contact with the media for a long period of time. This allows the filter media to be more efficient in capturing contaminants. On all fronts, the Berkey water purification systems are not only the most powerful at removing contaminants, but they are also the most cost-effective. 

The powerful Berkey Water Filter systems purify both treated water and untreated water from such sources as remote lakes, streams, stagnant ponds, and water supplies in foreign countries where regulations may be substandard at best. Through rigorous testing and research, the Berkey System can remove viruses, parasites, bacteria, cysts, and parasites to non-detectable levels and harmful or unwanted chemicals to below detectable levels. The Berkey System is so advanced that it has the added ability to reduce toxic heavy metals such as lead and mercury without removing the beneficial and nutritional minerals needed to support a healthy mind and body.  

The Black Berkey® Purification Elements have been tested and confirmed to remove or greatly reduce contaminants. Click here to see the list of contaminants.

 

How The Berkey® Systems Operates 

To use, water is poured into the upper chamber of the Berkey Filter system. Gravity draws this water through the exclusive purification elements where contaminants are captured on and within these micro-porous elements and are separated from the water. The micro-pores found within the cleanable Black Berkey purification elements are so small that pathogenic bacteria are simply not able to pass through them. The media within the elements remove contaminants by a surface phenomenon known as "adsorption" which results from the molecular attraction of substances to the surface of the media. The exclusive purification elements are also impregnated with proprietary "absorbing" media that promote ionic "absorption" of pollutants within the micro-porous elements. From there, the purified water collects in the lower chamber where it can be drawn through the spigot. All Berkey elements are cleanable and can be used over and over again.