Berkey water filter

Anybody have experience with Berkeys? Thinking about buying a Big Berkey for emergency use. Along with a couple additional filters.

http://www.berkeyfilters.com/berkey-water-filters/big-berkey.html

They state each filter can filter about 3k gallons, and the Big Berkey is usually ran with 2 filters, so 6k gallons. Not really sure how much/long that would last if it needed to be used for drinking/cooking/basic hygiene.

 

I dig that it comes with a 55 gal barrel.

Would the pump be able to be used from a source that doesn't have a spigot, like a 5 gal bucket? Thinking of all situations, the water source may be a local stream or bucket.

 

I have had one for over a year.
Wish I would have got one size bigger.
It holds about 2 gallons of water using 2 black filters, I also use the flouride after filters.
My wife and I fill it probably twice a day and the black filters needed cleaning after about a year, the flouride/arsenic filters were replaced at one year also.

Quality product that does not dump water to clean water like a R.O does.
Get a bigger one than you think will work for you, less fill time.
The cleanlyness of the water in will decide how long the filters last.

Also there are some codes to knock off 10% if you look around and Amazon has pretty good deals also.

 

Hey Beavis, couple more questions.

How would using the filter from a 5 gal bucket work? Submerge the hose intake in the bucket and start pumping into the 55 gal barrel?

How long do your filters last for?

 

Thanks Steve!

 

Sawyer makes a fine filter - they say it can filter a million gallons at 0.01 microns. It comes with a kit that allows you to hang a 5 gallon bucket of water and have it filter via gravity to a container of your choosing. The kit requires you to drill a hole at the bottom and put in a fitting to attach the filter. Even comes with a drill bit.

 

Cou, thanks Will. Gonna check that one out too.