Water Filtration and Fluoride Removal

Many people have concerns about the presence of fluorides in drinking water and want to eliminate them as much as possible. You can filter fluorides out of your drinking water using one of several at-home methods.

Reverse Osmosis

• The reverse osmosis filtration process will typically remove any salt, manganese, iron, fluoride, lead and calcium in your water. Reverse osmosis filters will remove much of the fluorides found in your tap water. These filters are installed under your sink, can cost between $150 and $200 dollars, plus installation if you choose not to do it yourself.

Activated Alumina Cartridge Filters (undersink)

• An activated alumina cartridge filter will also remove fluorides from your drinking water. Unlike reverse osmosis filters, activated alumina water filters do not require a storage tank, so they take up less space under your sink. Water is diverted from your pipes through the filter prior to coming through your sink tap. These filters are less expensive than reverse osmosis systems, with the filters themselves going for less than $50.

Bone Char FIlters

• Bone char, comprised of pulverized charred animal bones, is another filtration substance that removes fluorides from water. Bone char filters are often "whole house" systems, which are installed outside your home, filtering fluorides, arsenic and other minerals out of all the water that enters your home's pipes. Whole house systems are costly, up to $1,000 for installation. Replacement bone char and bone char filters cost about $100.