There are only three methods that we are aware of to remove fluoride from the water supply, they are the use of an activated alumina cartridge, reverse osmosis or distillation.

1. Activated Alumina

Of all the methods of removing fluoride, this is the method which has the most mis-information online, unfortunately largely due to retailers who wish to sell reverse osmosis systems. The fact is that Activated Alumina is recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency as not only an effective means of removing fluoride but also to remove other harmful contaminates such as Thallium which can leech into the drinking water from mining sites. Activated Alumina has also recently been chosen for use in the United States’ largest fluoride removal plant in Andrews, Texas. The SORB 09 technology was chosen based on the performance of an on-site pilot test that demonstrated the system’s robust technology, economics and capabilities over other tested technologies.

With activated alumina it is critical to choose a system which has the correct amount of media and also the correct flow rate to ensure effective fluoride removal up to 98% with no waste water.

2. Reverse Osmosis

Reverse Osmosis is a very effective way of reducing the amount of fluoride in the drinking water, depending on the system that you choose you can expect to see a removal of up to 98% of Fluoride. Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems are very effective and can be set up to produce 1 litre of pure water for every litre of water that is sent to waste. The minimum amount of stages that is required for RO to work properly is 3.

3. Distillation

Distillation is extremely effective at removing fluoride and everything else in the water, in fact all you are left with is H2O so pure that it does not conduct electricity. We have had over 10 years experience with distillation and have experienced many issues with the longevity of the systems due to the extremely pure water dissolving rubber o rings etc.

Here are some of the Fluoride Removal FAQ’s that we receive:

Q Does boiling water remove fluoride?

A No the act of boiling water cannot remove fluoride, it will become concentrated as a fluorine salt, if however you capture the steam from the water for example by distillation then the water will be separated from the fluoride.

Q Do uv water filters remove fluoride?

A No uv is very effective at killing bacteria and viruses however it will not remove fluoride.

Q Is the fluoride that is added to our drinking water a by product of the fertiliser industry?

A Yes Fluoride is a microscopic salt which is very difficult to remove from the water supply, the most common forms of fluoride that are added to the water supply in Australia are, hydrofluosilic acid, sodium silicofluoride and sodium fluoride which are commonly sourced from fertiliser manufacturers. 

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