Australia - Fluoride-free water - at a price

PEOPLE will be able to remove fluoride from their drinking water when it is added to Warrnambool's mains water supply from next year but at a price.
The only way to filter out fluoride, which will be added to Warrnambool's water from next year, is through a reverse osmosis filtration system costing more than $1100 to install, a Warrnambool plumbing firm told The Standard.
Warrnambool Home Improvements and Plumbing sales assistant Peter Owen explained the unit removed particles down to the size of 0.0005 microns or 98 per cent of impurities.
It takes out fluoride and heavy metals as well as bacteria, pesticides, sediment and rust. The under-sink unit, which includes a seven litre tank for on-demand water via a separate tap, can purify up to 130 litres in 24 hours. ``That's the maximum it will give you before it doesn't filter it out properly.''
The units cost $820 and must be installed by a plumber, adding another $300 in labour costs. The separate sediment and carbon filters needed to be replaced every six months at a cost of $40.
The super-fine membrane and element, which remove the fluoride particles and retail for $200, needed to be replaced every three years.
Stephen Bawden of Air and Water Technologies said he had seen limited customer interest in reverse osmosis filters, but expects sales to rise.