DIY Berkey Water Purifier

Here we will show how we make our own water purifiers from used food grade plastic buckets, and Berkey water purification elements.

Step 1: Selecting the Buckets

We highly recommend food grade buckets. These can be obtained online, or picked up used at restaurants. We like the used ones due to the recycling and low embodied energy benefits. Any stackable bucket with lids from 3 gallon to 6 gallon, round or square can be used.

Comments

[boardboyd]

 The Berkley Filters are only NSF 53 rated, so cysts like Giardia and Cryptosporidium (beaver fever), VOC's. They look like carbon filters so I would venture that they remove chlorine residual fairly well (if you want that removed). There is no mention of pore size in the quick look up I did so I would say that the microbial (different than cysts when talking about pathogens) may be suspect, or they just neglected to publish it.

If you're going to try and make surface water potable you should do a double barrier method of disinfection, usually with the second barrier being residual to ensure the containers you store the water in does not breed any pathogens from other vectors of contamination. 

[sspence]

 The black berkey filters are rated for removing cysts like Giardia and CS, as well as VOC's and most everything else including bacteria. Second level purification not necessary.

[boardboyd]

 I think you have misunderstood the my reasoning behind secondary disinfection (pathogen only); it is usually used as there are other vectors of contamination such as the following:

- contaminated secondary holding surfaces that are not disinfected that come in contact with the treated water i.e. the second container you have, if it is not cleaned and sanitized prior to being used may have pathogens on the surface that can multiply if given the right conditions

- contamination through introducing untreated water to stored treated water (spills, leaks)

These are even bigger issues if you are going to let the water sit in the secondary storage for any length of time, not a big issue if the water is going to be consumed right after treatment.

[tukas]

Hey Steve!   You are sure a busy guy!   Still am working on that motor project.  Keep up the good work!!!!

[sspence]

 Thanks. Hope your project works out.

[dchall8]

What does the filter do?  Does it simply make tap water taste better or can you run pond water through it to make it drinkable?  Does the filter take out biologicals? 

[sspence]

It's more than a filter, it's a purifier. It will take out almost all biologicals and chemicals (.99999), making most any water potable. See http://www.green-trust.org/diyrainwater/Black_Berkey.pdf

[Hoopajoo]

Do you have a source you can link us to for the Berkley filters?

[sspence]

 http://www.green-trust.org/products/

$99 / twin pack

[underwhelmed]

http://www.berkeyfilters.com/black-berkey.htm

[dosadi]

Nice instructable.

Is there a reason for using two filters?  

[sspence]

 The more filters, the faster the throughput.