Water is essential to life, and most of what I drink each day is water, so I need to provide my body with healthy, non-toxic water. City water systems are notorious for noxious chemicals, including various amounts of chlorine, fluoride, lead, viruses, and other harmful pollutants—I definitely want to stay far away from that long list of cancer-causing contaminants.
I don’t have the luxury of a deep-water well, like my ancestors did, and my water options are limited, so I took the time to research a home water purification system. I have been using a Brita filter for the past six years, but I know it does not eliminate fluoride, so I was bothered about the harmful effects of this chemical on my body. Although most dentists will recommend that we consume fluoride in our water, I suggest that you take the time to research it further. After researching do-it-yourself water purification systems, I decided to level up in my kitchen—and my life—by purchasing a Berkey Water Purification System – I am so happy I changed how my body gets water. Instead of superficially-filtered water from the Brita, my water is now purified and fluoride-free!
The problems with fluoride bubbled to the surface years ago when I walked into my college writing class and found on my seat a little printed note that said:
“Where does fluoride come from? How does fluoride affect your body?”
Instead of guzzling gallons of water at the school drinking fountain, I found myself pondering these questions, and then looking for answers. I was surprised and disgusted at what I learned, and I decided to opt-out of fluoride toothpaste and all other fluoride products—including the fluoride rinse at my dental office. Not only did my cavities begin to clear up, but my teeth began to heal. Dentists told me how nice my teeth are and how I must be using the extra-fluoride toothpaste special! They were shocked when I told them I no longer use fluoride at all, and I never will again, because it was doing more harm than good!
The final fluoride frontier was my drinking water.
Have you ever read the health and lab report for your local water system? Visit MyTapWater.org and enter your zip code to access reports outlining contaminants in your local water. Or contact local officials for detailed, up-to-date tap water reports. I scanned my water report and felt my Brita water filter wasn’t sufficient to process the contaminants. In addition, the tap water still had a funky taste after being filtered by the Brita—most likely from metals or other sediments remaining in the water. After spending hours online, I concluded the best option for home water filtration is the Berkey Gravity-Fed Water System.
Not only is a Berkey filtration system an investment in my health, but it’s also an investment in self-sufficiency and independence. If my local water system fails, for whatever reason, my Brita could never filter water from an untreated water source like a river or lake—but the Berkey system can. Brita filters are designed to filter out waterborne chemicals and sediments—not purify surface water. In addition to providing better drinking water, my Berkey water purification system is a survival tool. For this reason, the Berkey is the next best option to having my own well! Big BONUS: The Berkey also filters out viruses and bacteria. With the recent covid-19 pandemic, caused by a virus that impacted the entire planet, we should all be sensitive to a virus’s potential to go waterborne. How could we escape it when water is essential to life? Now no virus will catch me off guard with my countertop water purification system!
The Berkey comes in different sizes from 1.5 gallons up to 6 gallons, so choose a size to meet the needs of your household. It’s bigger than a traditional Brita water system and unlike the Brita, it doesn’t fit in my fridge, but it’s worth the countertop real estate! I don’t mind sacrificing a little space for better health. Heck, I’d trade all my counter space for clean water!
Here are some common questions about the Berkey:
What does the Berkey filter out?
According to the Berkey website, they remove over 99.99% of the chlorine, over 99.99% of bacteria and viruses, lead, VOC’s, THM’s, lindane, benzene and atrizine. That’s mega gunk! Get the extra fluoride-filter attachments to filter out fluoride!
Does the Berkey remove lead?
The Berkey website indicates that 96% of lead is removed from water!
How long do the filters last?
The Berkeys come with black filters; each will process 3,000 gallons of water. I have two black filters, so I can filter 6,000 gallons of water. Since I consume about 2 gallons per day, my current filter supply will last me 8.2 years, with routine care and maintenance. In contrast, Brita filters must be replaced more frequently, making the Berkey cost effective water filter alternative to a Brita in the long run.
How do you clean the Berkey filter?
The Berkey filter is easy to assemble/disassemble. Most models are made of stainless steel. You remove the filters, place them in a safe place so they can’t roll and break, and remove the spigot. Disassemble the unit and rinse with warm soapy water or dish wash the top and bottom units. Reassemble according to instructions and you’re ready to go! You can also re-prime the filters during the monthly system cleaning.
I love my new Berkey countertop water purifier! Because I consume a large amount of water daily, it’s important that I drink water that is beneficial to my health—not detrimental.
