Home water filtration system?

annr said:
Very interesting. I'm approaching this from the perspective of reducing or eliminating fluoride with the suspicion that there may be a fluoride allergy or toxicity present. It has been very difficult to find someone knowledgeable in this area: in terms of testing, diagnosis and treatment. Today I saw someone affiliated with one of the big Harvard teaching hospital/clinics, and he does not have fluoride in his panel of tests. (He may know someone who has the chemical). He also did not seem to know much about water filtration, pro or con, other than to avoid fluoride to the extent possible. Based on my reading, there are patients who are exquisitely sensitive to fluoride and have myriad systemic symptoms, while there are others who get by with eliminating fluoride toothpaste.

It seems the reverse osmosis is the surest (only?) way to eliminate the fluoride--thanks for the warning on the plumbing(hadn't thought of that one)!--along with everything else in the water. Is this level of filtration overkill/harmful? or not? I don't really know. According to "water street station" site, the answer is no. According to Berkey--which reduces not eliminates fluoride-- it sounds like you want to leave some of the other minerals in the water.

I guess I'm not surprised there aren't more people aware of this concern and giving knowledgeable medical advice.
Click to expand...

Berkey has flouride filters you can add to the system.
 
mb> said:
Berkey has flouride filters you can add to the system.
Click to expand...

Yes, I saw that. Evidently the Berkey filters reduce--not eliminate fluoride--up to 95%:

Filtering Fluoride From Your Drinking Water Controversy

The Berkey fluoride water filter uses a time tested method that was developed to reduce fluoride in your drinking water. Berkey developed this filter to address the concerns of the many who find the practice of adding fluoride to drinking water questionable or unacceptable. Fluoride has been deliberately added to many municipal water supplies since the 1950's. This common practice is now becoming more controversial to say the least. New reports and studies about the harmful effects of adding fluoride to drinking water are emerging. The health and hygiene benefits of applying fluoride directly to the surface of teeth are a well known and seldom disputed. The dispute begins with fluoride that has been added to drinking water only comes in contact with the teeth for a very short amount of time and in a very diluted form. After this contact the fluoride is than swallowed and the human body is subject to the well known ill effects of the fluoride compound for hours after ingestion. Critics claim that in this age of high fluoride tooth pastes that are correctly applied directly to the surface of the tooth, the benefits of fluoride in the water supply are negligible and quite possibly unnecessary. Berkey fluoride water filter allows you to make this decision about your health for yourself by reducing the amount of fluoride in your water by up to 95%.
Click to expand...

So, if my Boston water is currently fluoridated @ 0.7 milligrams per liter (mg/l) as advertised (per CDC regs), AFTER filtration there could be as little as .035 mg/l (or more). I don't know if the formula is linear and/or if >/=35 mcgs/liter is still "hazardous" for a person with a fluoride health concern. This is the kind of thing that there doesn't seem to be much help on. Also, considering that the food supply chain, cooking, etc., all contain artificially fluoridated water content and/or fluoride-based pesticides. It's quite insidious.
 
annr said:
Yes, I saw that. Evidently the Berkey filters reduce--not eliminate fluoride--up to 95%:



So, if my Boston water is currently fluoridated @ 0.7 milligrams per liter (mg/l) as advertised (per CDC regs), AFTER filtration there could be as little as .035 mg/l (or more). I don't know if the formula is linear and/or if >/=35 mcgs/liter is still "hazardous" for a person with a fluoride health concern. This is the kind of thing that there doesn't seem to be much help on. Also, considering that the food supply chain, cooking, etc., all contain artificially fluoridated water content and/or fluoride-based pesticides. It's quite insidious.
Click to expand...

Ok, just making sure you saw that.

And yes, insidious is the perfect term here.
 
mb> said:
Ok, just making sure you saw that.

And yes, insidious is the perfect term here.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I truly appreciate it!:) I decided to do the bottled water until speaking with an "expert" and seeing if other family members wanted to get on board--to buy the larger unit. Well, so far I haven't been impressed with the real-world experts!:) How can you not have fluoride in your testing kit?
I feel that this is truly a step child problem, because by not testing for it, they will never find it. By not looking for it, they will never see it.

I was pleasantly surprised by one physician (Johns Hopkins trained allergist) who actually listened to me, asked very skilled questions, and spent 2 weeks reading about the fluoride problem. After speaking with me about 30 minutes, examining things, he agreed with me and told me to avoid the fluoride, referring me to the "expert" --who seemed less on the ball--for testing.

The risk in these situations seems to be over/underkill with treatment/avoidance strategies. A bit frustrating. But so far the Berkey seems to be the front runner.
 
A fluoride allergy concern is a whole different level of difficulty because as you noted, it is so prevalent in our society in the USA. For a sensitivity like yours, you're going to need to avoid all bottled drinks, possibly all canned goods, and follow on products like milk.

With bottled water, be sure you understand what you are buying because a lot of bottled water is just carbon filtered tap water.

I'm curious about getting rid of fluoride toothpaste though. Since most of it is spit out, how much do you actually 'consume'? It's not like you are chug-a-lugging a pitcher of iced tea! :)

If you are concerned about missing out on other vital minerals and nutrients that may not be present in your diet, sports drinks and nutrition bars are a great way to boost your intake and thankfully additional fluoride is not something I see in them.
 
Sid Post said:
A fluoride allergy concern is a whole different level of difficulty because as you noted, it is so prevalent in our society in the USA. For a sensitivity like yours, you're going to need to avoid all bottled drinks, possibly all canned goods, and follow on products like milk.

With bottled water, be sure you understand what you are buying because a lot of bottled water is just carbon filtered tap water.

I'm curious about getting rid of fluoride toothpaste though. Since most of it is spit out, how much do you actually 'consume'? It's not like you are chug-a-lugging a pitcher of iced tea! :)

If you are concerned about missing out on other vital minerals and nutrients that may not be present in your diet, sports drinks and nutrition bars are a great way to boost your intake and thankfully additional fluoride is not something I see in them.
Click to expand...

This is good advice based on my study, and I agree that avoidance will be difficult in the realm of food and other beverages. Fortunately, I make most of my food from scratch, so I can control the ingredients better than most—don’t know what to do about the milk though, unless “organic” milk is better. Apparently, organic produce is not treated with fluoride containing pesticides, and this may be one of the first arguments in favor of organics that would have tangible positive results.

The toothpaste is a great question especially since that is how I connected the dots: I used another household member's toothpaste, and my face immediately turned bright red, the corners of my mouth were stinging, and within an hour I broke out with some red bumps near my lips and nose. (For years I had tested negative on all allergy tests and told that I have a variety of mostly mild rashes that came and went and never responded to treatment, plus allergy symptoms.)

Next, I brushed with bottled water for 2 weeks (no toothpaste), and the rash improved. After that, I introduced an unflavored fluoride toothpaste and had another immediate reaction. I’ve since switched to an non-fluoridated, unflavored toothpaste with few ingredients and am doing better, but still not sure what to expect.

There are numerous studies connecting toothpaste (both flavorings and fluoride) with rashes, etc. There are descriptions of the problem dating from the late ’50’s in the literature . Military dermatologists from the ’80’s and allergists from the ’60’s have excellent studies showing a 1:1 correlation between fluoride and many rashes and other allergic-type problems, even GI problems. But since no-one ever checks for this, well, who knows what the stats are…

Interestingly, most European nations do not permit fluoride as it would be forced medication, and it seems current thinking is that we may benefit from brushing without the need for systemic fluoride—which builds up in the bones— and may cause problems from that standpoint.
 
Last edited:
mb> said:
Ok, just making sure you saw that.

And yes, insidious is the perfect term here.
Click to expand...

You mentioned that you have both the reverse osmosis and Berkey. I was wondering if you could elaborate on how that works. Do you use them both simultaneously, in sequence? and the benefits of both?

Obviously, I'm still trying to figure out which meets my needs (esp. if there is a true medical basis), and am wondering if you figured out something I hadn't considered in owning both.
 
Using a water purification system can have a big effect on your overall health. There are many purification options. Some of the most common systems: a.) Pitcher water filter, it is the least expensive option that can cost around $20 to $50; b.) Portable water filter ,is good if you have a small space/room that can cost around $150 to $275; c.) Reverse osmosis, it can filter lots of water and removes viruses that can cost around $150 to $300; d.) Ion exchange, removes dissolved inorganics effectively and also inexpensive that can cost around $50; e.) Solid carbon filter, it’s easy to install and removes bad taste & odours that can cost around $200 to $300 which can be expensive; f.) Distillation, it’s easy to install and requires no filters to replace that can cause around $150 to $250. (http://www.fixr.com/costs/water-purification-system). Also consider the labor cost for the installation. Hiring a plumber can cause you around $45 to $65 per hour for 2-3 hours. Do check your local resources for codes relating to water. Remember that the cost to install water treatment system varies by region.
 
I have had a Berkey for the last 7 or 8 months. I would recommend it without question. Been using it everyday without any problems and the water tastes fantastic.
 
Well, since no one else has mentioned these: If you're planning on staying in the house for awhile (and own/are buying it) you might want to consider a whole house filter. This is the one we got- https://www.lifesourcewater.com/

We were flush with cash at the time, and were moving into a brand new house. That was 17 years ago and this thing is still going strong. One of the best things is that it removes the chlorine, too, and you immediately notice the difference when you take your first shower with filtered water. It's also supposed to save your pipes and you can use less soap. We never buy bottled water anymore, unless we need the bottle. If you can afford it, we've been very happy with ours.
 
MVF said:
Well, since no one else has mentioned these: If you're planning on staying in the house for awhile (and own/are buying it) you might want to consider a whole house filter. This is the one we got- https://www.lifesourcewater.com/

We were flush with cash at the time, and were moving into a brand new house. That was 17 years ago and this thing is still going strong. One of the best things is that it removes the chlorine, too, and you immediately notice the difference when you take your first shower with filtered water. It's also supposed to save your pipes and you can use less soap. We never buy bottled water anymore, unless we need the bottle. If you can afford it, we've been very happy with ours.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I had wondered about this type of option and did not realize that it was able to remove fluoride until your link led me to the info below. Did you purchase the additional unit that removes all fluoride?

ETA: the CERTIFICATE OF LISTING data for water testing shows "Drinking Water Treatment Units - Aesthetic Effects," "Aesthetic Chlorine, Taste and Odor," "Aesthetic Chloramine" (nothing re: fluoride?)

In addition to removing a whole host of chemicals like chlorine, activated carbon will even eliminate roughly 40 percent of fluoride from water. Besides reverse osmosis, few water filter technologies are capable of removing fluoride. And if 40 percent is not enough, LifeSource also makes an additional unit to go with its primary one that will remove all fluoride from water.https://www.lifesourcewater.com/photobin/247-document.pdf
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Finally, ordered the Royal Berkey today with chrome spigot, stand and fluoride filters--took a while to see how many were interested here.. Thanks everyone!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top