Berkey - Do water filters remove volcanic ash from drinking water?

Volcanic eruptions are among the most breathtaking, yet terrifying and destructive, natural disasters on planet Earth. Lava can reach temperatures above 2,000°F and destroy everything in its path. While lava is usually contained about 100 miles from the eruption, volcanic smoke, gases and ash can darken the sky and travel hundreds or even thousands of miles.

Volcanic ash is composed of tiny, jagged pieces of rock and glass and can contain deposits of minerals, heavy metals and various chemicals, some of which are corrosive and harmful and can contaminate soil, vegetation and water supplies.

Drinking water utilities generally do an adequate job of providing safe drinking water under normal circumstances. However, during natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, earthquakes or floods, water treatment plants can be damaged or overwhelmed, causing local water supplies to be cut off, rendered unsafe or unfit for consumption.

In such cases, having a reliable and powerful water filter that turns contaminated water into safe drinking water can be essential to survival.

Although NMCL does not know all of the contaminants that may be found in volcanic ash, the Berkey systems ^® equipped with Black Berkey elements ^® should be able to remove or reduce contaminants commonly found in volcanic ash for which Black Berkey elements ^® have been tested - and greatly improve the condition of any drinking water that may have been contaminated by volcanic ash.

View Black Berkey test results ^® Elements

New Millennium Concepts, Ltd. always recommends using the cleanest water source available, whenever possible.