FOOD Betrayed by Berkey - Why I Quit Using Berkey Water Filters + Class Action Lawsuits

Tigerlily

Tigerlily

Senior Member
I have a Berkey dispensing water right now. So, I am pretty alarmed that it is likely a worthless exercise.

RT 12min posted two months ago

From the description:
I explain my little journey with New Millennium Concepts - the company that owns the Berkey brand - and why the Berkey filter is basically junk relative to other filters you can buy. I recommend some products that I found are really good, and I do not receive any kind of affiliate referral fee or anything, I'm just a normal guy trying to get clean water and help others do the same.

Part 2 - Berkey Sued: Class action lawsuit against water filter company​


RT 10:34

From the description:

While digging around trying to find filters that are good to use in the old Berkey stainless steel canisters, I stumbled upon two lawsuits, one class action that involves all of us who purchased Berkey filters. I'm really angry after reading the court documents. I'm linking to them so you can read for yourself. Now, these court cases haven't been decided officially yet, they are ongoing. We'll have to wait and see. But, if you're eligible for jury duty, you're able to think through the court documents and form tentative conclusions.

I don't trust Berkey/New Millennium Concepts as far as I could throw a Berkey water filter system, and I'm beginning to seriously doubt Jamie Young's lab - and why does just about every single one of these company's use him? Even ZeroWater and Clearly Filtered. Thankfully ZW and CF have their own NSF certs independent of his lab for a few contaminants.

As far as what filters to use in the old SS cans, I still don't know! I've got some leads, but I need answers to several questions I've asked of companies. I'm not going to rush, I'll go as slowly as I need to find good enough answers.

...

Court documents here - click "PDF" under "Download Options":
archive.org

Berkey lawsuit court documents : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Public court documents regarding lawsuits against New Millennium Concepts, the company that owns Berkey brand.
archive.org
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I don't have time right now to read the link, but I will. So, the Berkey filters don't work the way they claim? Is that the reason for the lawsuits? We have a Berkey with plenty of extra filters, but they were bought several years ago. It's our only source of purifying our water in an emergency, plus several lifestraws.
 
L

LinuxFreakus

Contributing Member
1911user said:
Pure water products sells various Doulton brand ceramic filter candles that will work in a Berkey.
Click to expand...
Which ones work in a Berkey? Now i'm curious... there is nothing particularly wrong with my well water out of the tap but I like how the berkey makes it taste at least... and I know it has to be doing *something*....

So I would love to know which ones are better and still work with the dispenser that I like... I don't want a thing under my sink that takes up all the space, and whole house systems are insanely expensive for RO... plus, I have fire sprinklers hooked up to my water too which means it needs to flow fast and many gallons quickly if it ever came on lol.
 
2dollarbill

2dollarbill

Veteran Member
Same here. I've been holding on to mine for 10 years. Still in the boxes. It looks like a P231 test for removing 99.99 percent of bad stuff is what part of the complaint is. They could only hit 99.9 percent. The rest of the suit is mostly about slow delivery of product and legal shananigans. A lot of people have been using their berkeys and haven't died yet, so I will hang on to mine for emergencies.

2db
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
2dollarbill said:
Same here. I've been holding on to mine for 10 years. Still in the boxes. It looks like a P231 test for removing 99.99 percent of bad stuff is what part of the complaint is. They could only hit 99.9 percent. The rest of the suit is mostly about slow delivery of product and legal shananigans. A lot of people have been using their berkeys and haven't died yet, so I will hang on to mine for emergencies.

2db
Click to expand...

Thank you. I think we'll still use ours. At a 99.9% filtration rate, it's still better than nothing.
 
D

Dr. G

Senior Member
Same here, never used it, just waiting for SHTF. I am annoyed I recommended Berkey's to so many people over the years. Will also check into other filters that will fit.
 
L

LinuxFreakus

Contributing Member
2dollarbill said:
Same here. I've been holding on to mine for 10 years. Still in the boxes. It looks like a P231 test for removing 99.99 percent of bad stuff is what part of the complaint is. They could only hit 99.9 percent. The rest of the suit is mostly about slow delivery of product and legal shananigans. A lot of people have been using their berkeys and haven't died yet, so I will hang on to mine for emergencies.

2db
Click to expand...

They are constantly out of stock on things, etc... so I guess there is that.... I don't really order much though, I have two filters in it and two others extra... plus the unit itself and a stand. Like I said above, I know it must be removing significant amounts of stuff, but no matter what you do some stuff is always gonna be in your water even if you distill it... but if you do that you have to add things back to it also or else it tastes gross and has no electrolytes lol
 
O

one4freedom

Senior Member
I have used doulton Berkeys and now have been using JMCC water filters. I installed his MR5 system and love it. I have used his candles in a SS Berkey for years but wanted almost all my water filtered. My system has separate water (rain water for toilets, laundry and gardens.

JMCC Water Filters

www.jmccwaterfilters.com www.jmccwaterfilters.com
 
kyrsyan

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
99.9 percent vs 99.99 is not something I'm going to have a meltdown over. I'll still review it. I'll also take a look at the JMCC filters and compare testing. I've run across those before but couldn't find the testing info so I could compare, which is a big issue for me. As well as who does the testing and certifications. But after work.
 
X

xtreme_right

Veteran Member
Years ago, I switched out an old berkey filter for a new one. It had been in use for well over 5 years (I don’t remember exactly how long since it was so long ago). I decided to switch it out since it was filtering so slowly, even after cleaning it. Anyway, I opened a new boxed filter and installed it. The water filtered so much faster! I thought it was because I had slowly gotten used to the old filter. I finally realized the gasket wasn’t completely connected to the filter housing. There was partial separation between the two. I had the filter so long, I didn’t remember where I bought it so I lost out on the money. I used the food coloring test to prove the leak.
 
2dollarbill

2dollarbill

Veteran Member
Publius said:
This guy in the above video has three YouTube videos on the same subject.
I think he has a dog in this fight or the court battle.
Click to expand...
I bet you're right. There is some huge bucks at play in this lawsuit. Billions, and delivery rights and so forth. Even Berkshire Hathaway is in on it as owners of one of the players.

2db
 
Tigerlily

Tigerlily

Senior Member
The key information he shared that I think is most important, is that Berkey has no NSF certifications.

NSF Certifications​
​
Millions of people take the safety of their food, water and consumer products for granted on a daily basis. Why? Because of three letters: NSF. NSF certification is your key to making sure that the products you use meet strict standards for public health protection.​
​
Choosing a product certified by NSF lets you know the company complies with strict standards and procedures imposed by NSF. From extensive product testing and material analyses to unannounced plant inspections, every aspect of a product's development is thoroughly evaluated before it can earn our certification.​
​
Most importantly, NSF certification is not a one-time event, but involves regular on-site inspections of manufacturing facilities and regular re-testing of products to ensure that they continue to meet the same high standards required to maintain certification over time. If for any reason a product fails to meet one or more certification criteria, NSF will take enforcement actions to protect you, including product recall, public notification or de-certification.​
​
They also never tested the berkey for the 3000 gallons they claim. On some independent lab tests they did it when the filter had only been through 100 gallons. On other tests, they claim 1200 gallons, or 2000 depending on who the representative is talking with.

He gives a lot of information in the videos. As far as complaining about a company misrepresenting what their product does, I think we should all have a dog in this fight. He said he learned about the lawsuits because he came upon them after being burned by the Berkey not filtering out the specific contaminant necessary to make fermented foods.

As for myself, I am annoyed that the promise filtration doesn't produce good enough water to make colloidal silver. That is my experience. And, I am not a party to the lawsuit.
 
M

marsofold

Veteran Member
We have a Crown model Berkey. The biggest one. We use it to filter our well water since we have a shallow well. Clean the filters with scotch-brite pads every other month. The only thing that bugs me is when I am cleaning the filters, the lower section (post-filtering) is coated with a very thin brown film, which I wipe off with a clean rag. Two months later cleaning the filters the film is back. And was in contact with out drinking water outputted. Is our water safe? It tastes OK, and no loose stools, which my body is fussy about. So I guess we are safe.
 
J

Jeep

Veteran Member
SouthernBreeze said:
I don't have time right now to read the link, but I will. So, the Berkey filters don't work the way they claim? Is that the reason for the lawsuits? We have a Berkey with plenty of extra filters, but they were bought several years ago. It's our only source of purifying our water in an emergency, plus several lifestraws.
Click to expand...
So did we, I guess we'll have to wait and see what transpires. I will say 99.9 vs 99.99%, I will still use the Berkey if I have to.
 
S

summerthyme

Administrator
_______________
As for myself, I am annoyed that the promise filtration doesn't produce good enough water to make colloidal silver. That is my experience. And, I am not a party to the lawsuit.
Click to expand...
Have they EVER claimed that?! I'd *never* try using simply filtered water to make colloidal silver... it still leaves in the dissolved minerals. The *only* water to use in making colloidal silver is distilled.

Summerthyme
 
kyrsyan

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Tigerlily said:
The key information he shared that I think is most important, is that Berkey has no NSF certifications.

NSF Certifications​
​
Millions of people take the safety of their food, water and consumer products for granted on a daily basis. Why? Because of three letters: NSF. NSF certification is your key to making sure that the products you use meet strict standards for public health protection.​
​
Choosing a product certified by NSF lets you know the company complies with strict standards and procedures imposed by NSF. From extensive product testing and material analyses to unannounced plant inspections, every aspect of a product's development is thoroughly evaluated before it can earn our certification.​
​
Most importantly, NSF certification is not a one-time event, but involves regular on-site inspections of manufacturing facilities and regular re-testing of products to ensure that they continue to meet the same high standards required to maintain certification over time. If for any reason a product fails to meet one or more certification criteria, NSF will take enforcement actions to protect you, including product recall, public notification or de-certification.​
​
They also never tested the berkey for the 3000 gallons they claim. On some independent lab tests they did it when the filter had only been through 100 gallons. On other tests, they claim 1200 gallons, or 2000 depending on who the representative is talking with.

He gives a lot of information in the videos. As far as complaining about a company misrepresenting what their product does, I think we should all have a dog in this fight. He said he learned about the lawsuits because he came upon them after being burned by the Berkey not filtering out the specific contaminant necessary to make fermented foods.

As for myself, I am annoyed that the promise filtration doesn't produce good enough water to make colloidal silver. That is my experience. And, I am not a party to the lawsuit.
Click to expand...
I never expected Berkey to provide water for colloidal silver. That's a different level of filtration. And not one that is actually necessary, or even healthy, for continuous drinking. There are other ways to get distilled water, and that is the level needed for colloidal silver.

As far as not having NSF certification, okay, I can get that as an issue. Especially since that is a global certification testing, not just a US certification testing. Given what they charge for their filters and systems, which is on par with other NSF certified systems, I can see that as a problem. Their claim of "exceptionally high cost" doesn't hold up in that argument.

On the other hand, I just checked the NSF site for tested manual fill, gravity feed water filters. And none, absolutely none, of the well known hiking/emergency water filters are listed. Either by company name or by model or just by style. So that's a chunk to think on. How can you hold one to NSF, when none, including the ones listed in this thread, are held to having NSF testing? They all say "to NSF certified standards" but not NSF Certified. (And a note, all the ones that are NSF certified appear to be of Chinese manufacters.)

I think, at that point, the argument is pointless. I'll fall back to they've been used worldwide for several decades, in rougher, more abusive environments than most of us use them in. And they all have the same point, NSF does not test for the level of contaminants that they have independent labs test for. Just because a lab is not government created or supported does not mean that it is not good. Actually, the best, most careful labs likely aren't. Because there is no one to protect them if they screw up the testing.

The most that I would ask for, is proof that the labs are certified for the testing that they are doing and reporting. If that type of certification is available.
 
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W

Wildwood

Veteran Member
I'm sticking with my Berkey until I hear something more alarming than what's out there now. It makes our horrible well water taste so good...best water I've ever tasted. Until I hear something more substantial than what I'm hearing now, I'm happy.

Granted, they didn't handle the faulty filters from a few years back very well, they are probably as good as anything else out there. When my filters are all used up, they'll have all this resolved and I'll assess the situation again then. Given my age and the long lifespan of these filters, I may well have a lifetime supply lol.

Edited to add...It's probably just me but I tried to watch this video when it first showed up on YT and I had to stop. Something about this guy gives me a bad vibe. I think there's more than meets the eye to this whole thing.
 
R

Rabbit

Has No Life - Lives on TB
My Berkey was starting to taste funky but $178.was too much for black replacement filters and I was filtering clean city water anyway.
These filters failed the test before even 100 gallons. I
have been suspicious about their claims for a while but I have so much money invested in it I was hoping I was wrong.
Insult to injury I believe we are close to times when we really will need ways to purify water. I'm going to try to make activated charcoal out of bamboo. I'll make my own water filter.
 
W

Wildwood

Veteran Member
Rabbit said:
My Berkey was starting to taste funky but $178.was too much for black replacement filters and I was filtering clean city water anyway.
These filters failed the test before even 100 gallons. I
have been suspicious about their claims for a while but I have so much money invested in it I was hoping I was wrong.
Insult to injury I believe we are close to times when we really will need ways to purify water. I'm going to try to make activated charcoal out of bamboo. I'll make my own water filter.
Click to expand...
Are you sure to keep the bottom section that holds your filtered water as sterile as possible? It could have gotten contaminated with a bacteria that is producing the bad taste. On city water, you shouldn't have that problem after just 100 gallons.

I bleach my whole unit ever so often and am super careful not to touch the inside bottom section at all once it's sterile. I let it air dry so I don't have to dry it with a towel. I also make sure my hands are as sterile as possible any time I handle it. Any bacteria you accidentally introduce to that part will only multiply and that goes for any similar system.
 
kyrsyan

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I've only gotten contamination in the bottom once. Courtesy of ants that decided that my Berkey was a good lake.

Now, I seem to have some slime on the bottom inch or so of the filters. But it's on the black carbon, where I'd expect it to be. And typically, after I've tried filtering canning water again. It doesn't take much at all to clear it off. And I get reminded that if the water is contaminated with organics, I'm likely to need to clean the filters much more often than I do with town water. My filters have lasted a long time. And I do regularly run some red food dye through to check. Especially after I've cleaned and reassembled.
 
F

FireDance

TB Fanatic
The certifications are the thing that bother me. If it’s not in writing, it doesn’t exist/never happened. They have made plenty of money to get all the certs. Why haven’t they?
 
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Henry Bowman

Henry Bowman

Veteran Member
Tigerlily said:
This guy uses pure science in testing a bunch of different water filters. The Berkey does terrible! Just another data point, to help us make good decisions:

Click to expand...
This actually isn't "pure Science" , he is checking for dissolved solids NOT bacteria.
To really see if the filter is taking out bacteria you need to have it tested for bacteria and Virus matter.

This test is only minerals and iron not things that can harm you.
 
P

Publius

TB Fanatic
Henry Bowman said:
This actually isn't "pure Science" , he is checking for dissolved solids NOT bacteria.
To really see if the filter is taking out bacteria you need to have it tested for bacteria and Virus matter.

This test is only minerals and iron not things that can harm you.
Click to expand...


Many minerals are water soluble and or worked down to such small particles calcium and Iron is commonly found in well water.
I have high amounts of Iron in our well water you cannot see it but its there and using filters it shows up in the filters they start turning rust brown with in a few weeks and clog up after year+ of use.
In another part of the county the city water has really high amount of Calcium and limestone mix and it has caused health problems for people drinking it for lifetime.
 
kyrsyan

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Publius said:
Many minerals are water soluble and or worked down to such small particles calcium and Iron is commonly found in well water.
I have high amounts of Iron in our well water you cannot see it but its there and using filters it shows up in the filters they start turning rust brown with in a few weeks and clog up after year+ of use.
In another part of the county the city water has really high amount of Calcium and limestone mix and it has caused health problems for people drinking it for lifetime.
Click to expand...
We have hard water here. Berkey does not remove all of the stuff. But it does remove a lot. I have run a TDS on before and after, and gotten lower TDS after. Mainly because I was wondering if it would work to replace distilled water. And that answer would be - nope. Not meant for it, can't do it.

Btw, there is a filter that says it will do that. It's called Zero if I remember correctly.

Again, Berkey does not say it will make distilled water. Or that it will occur naturally occur minerals that are below a certain size. None of the hiking/emergency use filters offer that promise, Not Katadyn (or the many variants they sell), not LifeStraw, not Sawyer. If that is what you are looking for, you need to be looking at different systems. Heck, Sawyer doesn't even promise good tasting water, just safe from certain things. (And reports are that if the water has a nasty natural flavor beforehand, it will still have it afterwards.)

You can't buy apples and expect them to suddenly become oranges. Well, you can, but then you'd be as delusional as some of the rest of the nuts out there.
 
rob0126

rob0126

Veteran Member
Rabbit said:
My Berkey was starting to taste funky but $178.was too much for black replacement filters and I was filtering clean city water anyway.
These filters failed the test before even 100 gallons. I
have been suspicious about their claims for a while but I have so much money invested in it I was hoping I was wrong.
Insult to injury I believe we are close to times when we really will need ways to purify water. I'm going to try to make activated charcoal out of bamboo. I'll make my own water filter.
Click to expand...

Here is a basic water filter.

rt 3:36
View: https://youtu.be/lFtR1RnLpVA

The coupler is about 15.00 at lowes.

You can buy the activated charcoal at various places. Can range from 15-25 depending on the amount you need.

You will need the right mesh size to hold the charcoal in the coupler.

aquaticexperts.com has a finer activated charcoal and the bag comes with a fine mesh pouch.

So you can just cut out a couple pieces for each end of the coupler.

I havent tried to filter water with it yet but im pretty sure it can filter rain water.

Boil for extra safety of course.
 
P

Publius

TB Fanatic
kyrsyan said:
We have hard water here. Berkey does not remove all of the stuff. But it does remove a lot. I have run a TDS on before and after, and gotten lower TDS after. Mainly because I was wondering if it would work to replace distilled water. And that answer would be - nope. Not meant for it, can't do it.

Btw, there is a filter that says it will do that. It's called Zero if I remember correctly.

Again, Berkey does not say it will make distilled water. Or that it will occur naturally occur minerals that are below a certain size. None of the hiking/emergency use filters offer that promise, Not Katadyn (or the many variants they sell), not LifeStraw, not Sawyer. If that is what you are looking for, you need to be looking at different systems. Heck, Sawyer doesn't even promise good tasting water, just safe from certain things. (And reports are that if the water has a nasty natural flavor beforehand, it will still have it afterwards.)

You can't buy apples and expect them to suddenly become oranges. Well, you can, but then you'd be as delusional as some of the rest of the nuts out there.
Click to expand...


The Iron in my water we just have a filter system on the cold water tap in the kitchen and using cheep filters you can obtain from Walmart or Lowes it works and cuts the amount of Iron we imbibe.
 
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