How does Berkey Make the water “Safe”?

Safe Water Canada Ltd wants you to be educated about water purification. This will allow you to make an informed decision on something as important as the quality of your drinking water. Since water filtration is a complex science, we try to use familiar terms when possible so the explanation is easier to understand. Several methodologies are used to produce the Black Berkey^® purification elements.

Microfiltration

The first line of defense is that Berkey^® purification Filters are composed of a proprietary formulation of more than six different media types, all constructed into a very compact matrix containing millions of microscopic pores. These pores are so small that they produce what we refer to as a “Tortuous Path” that pathogenic bacteria, cysts, parasites, herbicides, pesticides, organic solvents, VOC’s, detergents, cloudiness, silt, sediment and sedimentary minerals, foul tastes and odors must travel through. These paths are so small that these pollutants physically cannot pass through them and become trapped, eliminating them from your drinking water. This process is known as microfiltration and is critical in making Safe Water.

Adsorption

Secondly, Berkey^® media formulation uses unique adsorption and absorption properties. Adsorption works to create an ionic barrier similar to surface tension. This barrier is perfectly suited to the micro-porous water filter because it effectively allows the tiny pores to block water contaminants that are smaller than the pore size itself. This blocking process is how the Berkey^® water filter is able to remove submicron viruses that other brands of water filters cannot, without the use of obnoxious chemicals like iodine or chlorine. Next, the heavy metals ions (mineral molecules) such as cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, aluminum, and other dangerous heavy metals are extracted from the water through an Ion exchange process where they are attracted to and transformed by electrically bonding to the media.

Flow Rate

Finally, Berkey^® systems are so effective at removing contaminants from water because of the extremely long “contact period”. Other filtration systems rely on water pressure that forces water molecules through the elements at 60-90 PSI. These water molecules come into contact with the filter media for a mere fraction of a second. By comparison, water molecules passing through the structure of the Black Berkey^® filters are drawn gently by gravity and stay in contact with the media for a long period of time. This allows the filter media to be more efficient in capturing contaminants. This advanced technology was developed, refined, and proven through years of diligent, investigative research and testing performed by water purification specialists, researchers, and engineers. The flow rate or time of exposure through the Black Berkey^® purification Filters has been calculated to yield the greatest volume of removal of viruses, toxic chemicals, and bacteria.

BLACK BERKEYâ„¢ PURIFICATION FILTER

FILTRATION SPECIFICATIONS

Black Berkeyâ„¢ Purification Filters are more powerful than any other gravity filter element currently available.  The Filters have a unique purification capability that is due to their unique structure. The micro- pores within the Black Berkey^® Filters are so small that viruses and pathogenic bacteria are simply not able to pass through them.

Many water filters on the market may claim to be a water purifier, but do not meet the performance specifications required for this classification. In order to be classified as a water purifier, a water treatment device must remove at least 99.9999% of pathogenic bacteria and reduce viruses by 99.99%. The Black Berkey^® Purification Filters can be classified as water purifiers because they remove 99.9999999% of pathogenic bacteria and 99.999% of viruses, which greatly exceeds the standard. The Black Berkey^®Purification Filter formulation has been tested by State and EPA accredited laboratories to exceed NSF/ANSI Standard 53.

The Black Berkeyâ„¢ Purification Filters have been tested and confirmed to remove or greatly reduce the contaminants listed below:

VIRUSES >99.999%
Exceeds Purification Standard (Log 4):
MS2 Coliphage – Fr Coliphage

PATHOGENIC BACTERIA SURROGATE >99.9999%

Exceeds Purification Standard (Log 6): Raoultella terrigena

TRIHALOMETHANES – Removed to >99.8%
(Below Lab Detectable Limits):

Bromodichloromethane – Bromoform – Chloroform – Dibromochloromethane

INORGANIC MINERALS
Removed to below Lab Detectable Limits: Chlorine Residual (Total Residual Chlorine)

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Removed to below Lab detectable limits

1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane 1,1,1-Trichloroethane (TCA) 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane 1,1,2-Trichloroethane 1,1,2-Trichlorotrifluoroethane 1,1-Dichloroethane (1,1-DCA) 1,1-Dichloroethylene (1,1-DCE) 1,1-Dichloropropene 1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene 1,2,3-Trichloropropane 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) 1,2-Dibromoethane 1,2-Dichloro-1,1,2-trifluoroethane (CFC 123a) 1,2-Dichlorobenzene 1,2-Dichlorobenzene-d4 1,2-Dichloroethane 1,2-Dichloropropane 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene 1,3-Dichlorobenzene 1,3-Dichloropropene 1,4-Dichlorobenzene 2,2-Dichloropropane 2,4,5-T 2,4,5-TP (Silver) 2,4-D 2,4-DB 2-Butanone (MEK) 2-Chlorotoluene 2-Hexanone 2-Methyl-2-propanol 3,5-Dichlorobenzoic Acid 3-Hydroxycarbofuran 4-Bromofluorobenzene 4-Chlorotoluene 4-Isopropyltoluene 4-Methyl-2-pentanone 4-Nitrophenol 5-Hydroxydicamba Acetone Acifluorfen Alachlor Aldicarb Aldicarb Sulfone Aldicarb Sulfoxide Aldrin alpha-Chlorodane Ametryn Aroclor (1016, 1221, 1232, 1242, 1248, 1254, 1260) Atraton Atrazine Baygon Bentazon Benzene Bromacil Bromoacetic Acid Bromobenzene Bromochloromethane Bromodichloromethane Bromomethane Bromoform Butachlor Butylate Carbaryl Carbofuran Carbon Tetrachloride Carboxin Chloramben Chlordane Chloroacetic Acid Chlorobenzene Chloroethane Chloroform Chloromethane Chlorpropham cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene cis-1,3-Dichloropropene cis-Nonachlor Cycloate Dacthal Acid Dalapon Diazinona Dibromoacetic Acid Dibromochloropropane (DBCP) Dibromomethane Dicamba

Dichloroacetic Acid Dichlorodifluoromethane (CFC 12) Dichloromethane Dichlorvos Diclorprop Dieldrin Dinoseb Diphenamid Disulfoton Disulfoton Sulfone Disulfoton Sulfoxidea Endrin EPTC Ethoprop Ethylbenzene Ethylene Dibromide (EDB) Fenamiphos Fenarimol Fluorobenzene Fluridone gamma-Chlorodane Glyphosate Halo acidic Acids (HAA5) Heptachlor Heptachlor Epoxide Hexachlorobenzene Hexachlorobutadiene (CCC) Hexachlorocyclopentadiene Hexazinone Isopropylbenzene (Cumene) Lindane (Gamma-BHC) Merphos Methiocarb Methomyl Methoxychlor Methyl Paraoxon Methyl tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE) Metolachlor Metribuzin Mevinphos MGK 264 Molinate Monochlorobenzene m-Xylenes Naphthalene Napropamide n-Butylbenzene Norflurazon n-Propylbenzene Oxamyl o-Xylene Pebulate Pentachlorophenol Picloram Prometon Prometryn Pronamidea Propazine p-Xylenes sec-Butylbenzene Simazine Simetryn Stirofos Styrene Tebuthiuron Terbacil Terbufos Terbutryn tert-Butylbenzene Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) Tetrahydrofuran (THF) Thiobencarb Toluene Toxaphene trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene trans-1,3-Dichloropropene trans-Nonachlor Triademefon Tribromoacetic Acid Trichloroacetic Acid Trichloroethene (TCE) Trichloroethylene Trichlorofluoromethane (CFC 11) Tricyclazole Vernolate Vinyl Chloride