Berkey initially withdrew sales from the California marketplace when the state's lead-free regulations took effect. At that time, it was our opinion, along with many other companies, that the regulations were overly ambiguous, cost-prohibitive, and made it nearly impossible for small and medium-sized businesses, especially those based outside California, to comply.
However, since then, California has provided clearer definitions of the requirements for these regulations. After reviewing the updated information and consulting with our legal counsel, we have determined that Berkey’s free-standing water filtration and purification systems are not subject to these regulations.
We are now permitted to sell outdoor Berkey Water Filter Systems to customers in California, including the Berkey Light and Travel Berkey models. If you have ordered or intend to order one of the indoor systems (Big Berkey, Royal Berkey, Imperial Berkey, or Crown Berkey), we would need an alternative shipping address outside of California (e.g., a friend or family member), who can then forward the product to you. This method is permissible.
The other stainless steel systems cannot be shipped to California because they are classified as indoor filtration systems, and California’s regulations still affect certain products. These regulations prohibit making health claims, such as the removal of pathogenic bacteria, on residential filtration systems. These restrictions do not apply to outdoor water filtration systems, which is why those are now available for sale in California.
Until we conduct a full review of the regulations, only the following products can be sold to customers in California:
Sport Berkey
Go Berkey
Travel Berkey
Berkey Light
Black Berkey Filter Elements
PF-2 Filters
All Replacement Parts