How Do I Remove Fluoride From My Tap Water?

One of the questions that is most asked of me is “how do I remove fluoride from my tap water”?

Most people are aware that there is a controversy surrounding public fluoridation of drinking water, and many people are now becoming more aware of the dangers associated with toxic fluoride ingestion.
Municipal water treatment plants have historically added fluoride to the water to help prevent tooth decay, and they try to maintain a level of 1.5 – 2.5 mg/L (or 1.5 – 2.5 ppm). Water concentrations of Fluoride above 5 mg/L (or 5ppm) is detrimental to ones tooth structure and overall health. High concentrations are contained in waste water from the manufacture of glass, steel, aluminum, and foundry operations.

Healthy natural, organic fluorine is present in food items such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Unhealthy inorganic fluorine, known as Fluoride (or other chemical names such as Sodium Fluoride (i.e. NaF or Na-F), HydroFluoSilicic acid (HFS), or Sodium SilicoFluoride (SSF)), is a waste product of aluminum and is found in toothpaste, fertilizers and some rat poisons. The MCL (Maximum Contaminant Level) of Fluoride established for drinking water by the U.S. EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) is 4 mg/L (or 4ppm).

Many of my readers, family & friends who know me, know that I am vehimently opposed to fluoride being added to drinking water in any amount.

The fluoride currently being dumped in 90 percent of drinking water in the U.S. is added in the form of hydrofluoric acid, a chemical byproduct of aluminum, steel, cement, phosphate, and nuclear weapons manufacturing. It is one of the most caustic of industrial chemicals.

Hydrofluoric acid is used to refine high octane gasoline, to make fluorocarbons and chlorofluorocarbons for freezers and air conditioners, and to manufacture computer screens, fluorescent light bulbs, semiconductors, plastics, herbicides … and toothpaste.

How do I know if my water company adds fluoride to my tap water?
The best source of information on fluoride levels in your water system is your local water utility. All water utilities must provide their consumers with a Consumer Confidence Report that provides information on a system’s water quality, including its fluoridation level. The state drinking water administrator or state oral health program also should be able to help you identify the fluoride level of your drinking water.

Another way to find out is to visit the CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Will my Brita, Pur or pitcher type filter remove fluoride?
No. These type of water filters are designed mainly for chlorine removal and do not filter out fluoride.

Will boiling my water get rid of fluoride?
No. Boiling water actually concentrates the level of fluoride.

Does my bottled water contain fluoride?
Many bottled waters contain no additional  fluoride but many bottled waters come from a municipal source, and may not be filtered through a reverse osmosis system. You can find out the fluoride and other mineral content of your bottled waters at Bottled Water Web’s Bottlers listing. When looking at bottled water, keep in mind that ‘distilled water’ does not imply that a product is suitable for drinking water and other undesirable impurities may be present. (although I am opposed to bottled water, if you must drink bottled water, please recycle)

So what are my options? How do I get out the fluoride?
If you don’t want to drink fluoridated water, you have a couple of options.  Fluoride is more difficult to remove than most water contaminants. For practical purposes, there are two choices for removing fluoride from drinking water: distillation & reverse osmosis.
Distillers:  A distiller simply boils the water and collects the water vapor on a cooler surface. Then it collects the water vapor into a reservoir. Much like placing a lid on a pot cooking and the water droplets that form on the lid. A distiller works on the exact same principal. It rids the water of many pathogens, impurities, and a lot of fluoride. By the way, don’t confuse distillation filtration with distilled water that you find on the label of various waters in the supermarket. The two are not the same and the distilled water can still have plenty of impurities present.

Reverse Osmosis: You can install a 5 stage reverse osmosis filter on your tap water. The reverse osmosis process usually removes approximately 98% of all fluoride amongst many other chemicals. Most reverse osmosis do an excellent job at reducing contaminants from tap water, but require diligent maintenance and filter changes.

Take your time when researching water filter companies. Be sure to check for NSF certifications and performance data fact sheets on the company websites. If you can not find these, or the water filter sales person can not show you the performance data, be leary of these companies. For more information on fluoride, visit: http://www.fluoridealert.org/