7 everyday ways to use water from your Berkey water filter

Day to day

A Berkey® system is first and foremost for drinking. But filtered water has its place well beyond the glass: in the cup, in the saucepan, in the dog's bowl or at the foot of your plants. Here are the uses that benefit most, and those for which a different water is still a better fit.

> 95%

reduction in free chlorine measured on our Phoenix filters

> 96%

reduction in chloramines in the same report

NSF/ANSI 42

certification for chlorine, taste and odour

20,800 L

of filtered water per pair of filters before replacement

Sources: Phoenix Gravity filter laboratory reports, NSF listings.

The starting point

Tap water that is already safe to drink, better filtered

In France, tap water is one of the most closely monitored food products. According to the national observatory of water services, the microbiological compliance of tap water averaged 96.6% in 2025, and physico-chemical compliance 91.1%.

To disinfect it, water suppliers keep a little chlorine in the network. This is essential for public health, but you can taste that chlorine. According to a note from Anses, the most sensitive people can detect its taste from 0.075 mg/L.

This is where Berkey® comes in. Our Phoenix filters reduce chlorine and chloramines while preserving the minerals naturally present, such as calcium and magnesium. The result: water with a neutral taste that keeps its character.

Uses

Seven ways to use your Berkey® water

Coffee and tea

A cup contains almost nothing but water. Without the taste of chlorine, the aromas of coffee and tea come through more clearly. The preserved minerals also play a part in extraction.

Cooking

Rice, pasta, pulses and soups absorb their cooking water. With filtered water, what ends up on your plate matches what you drink from your glass.

Ice cubes and cold drinks

As they melt, ice cubes concentrate the taste of the water. Make them with your Berkey® water, along with your flavoured waters, lemonades and iced infusions.

Fruit and vegetables

After washing under the tap, a final rinse in filtered water works well for fresh herbs, berries and vegetables served raw.

Pets

Your dog or cat drinks the same water as you. Filling their bowl from the Berkey® is a simple habit, with no bottled water.

Sensitive plants

Most plants tolerate tap water, but some are sensitive to chlorine, as the Montreal Botanical Garden points out. Leaving water to stand does not get rid of chloramines. Filtration reduces them.

On the move

The Travel Berkey and the Go Berkey go with you to a holiday rental or to the office, using the drinking water from the mains supply there.

Good to know

When a different water is a better fit

Our filters deliberately preserve the minerals in water. That is an advantage for drinking and cooking, but not for appliances that do not cope well with limescale.

Ultrasonic humidifiers

They release the minerals in the water into the air as a fine white dust. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends water with a low mineral content, ideally distilled.

Irons and steam generators

Filtered water keeps its limescale. Follow the recommendation of your appliance's manufacturer, which specifies the type of water to use depending on how hard your water is.

Plants from nutrient-poor habitats

Carnivorous plants and some orchids need water with a very low mineral content. For them, rainwater or demineralised water is still the best choice.

Using your Berkey® properly

Three rules for water that is always at its best

Mains water

Our Phoenix filters are designed for drinking water from the mains supply, not for river water, rainwater or water from an untested well.

Regular maintenance

Clean the chambers and filters following our maintenance advice.

Timely replacement

A pair of Phoenix filters should be replaced after about 20,800 litres.

See our Berkey® systems Phoenix Gravity filters

Key points

Berkey® starts from mains water that is already safe to drink and reduces its chlorine and chloramines.
Coffee, tea, cooking, ice cubes, pets and sensitive plants benefit directly from water without a chlorine taste.
Minerals are preserved, so filtered water does not replace demineralised water for appliances.
Regular maintenance keeps filtration at its best.

Frequently asked questions

Your questions about using Berkey® water

Does filtered water keep its minerals?

Yes. Phoenix Gravity filters reduce the contaminants tested while preserving essential minerals such as calcium and magnesium. The water therefore keeps its original hardness.

Can I put Berkey® water in my iron?

As it keeps its limescale, it behaves like tap water in an iron. Refer to your appliance's instructions, which state the right water to use depending on how hard your water is.

Is leaving tap water to stand enough to remove the chlorine?

For free chlorine, standing helps because it partly evaporates. Chloramines, used in some networks, on the other hand evaporate very little. Our Phoenix filters reduce both, with results published on our tests page.

Which system should I choose for my uses?

If you also use filtered water for cooking and for your pets, allow for more capacity. The Big Berkey suits most families, and the Royal and the Imperial larger households. Adding filters also increases the filtration speed. Our team can advise you if needed.

Sources