LETTER: Reverse osmosis system costs more than you think

I'm responding to a letter from Dr. Raymond Leung, dated April 20, titled "Fluoride: Nature's way to prevent tooth decay,"

Dr. Leung is correct about using a reverse osmosis (RO) system to remove fluoride. He also stated, "You can go to any hardware store or just go on line to Amazon to order an under the sink reverse osmosis unit." That bothers me.

I just purchased and installed an RO unit and after the do-it-yourself project, I realized how many details Dr. Leung either omitted or, more likely, did not know. 

To begin, you need an extra $200 to get a five-stage filtering system with membrane. Then you have to do it yourself or hire a plumber at $80 per hour (1.5 hours).

Since the water pressure enters my home about 130 psi, I had a pressure regulator and expansion tank installed. This is critical since exceeding 90 psi will damage the $70 replacement membrane in the RO system. 

Due to old pipes in MAWA's system, there is a high amount of suspended solids that will shorten the change interval of the pre-filters as well as the membrane, due to clogging of the pores. It would be wise to have a whole-house sediment filter to prevent premature clogging of the all-important membrane in your RO system. Mine was $100, plus $30 for filter changes twice yearly.

The annual maintenance cost of the filters: three pre-filters need replaced every six to 12 months ($60) and the membrane and final filter should be replaced yearly ($100).

After examining these costs, I wonder where Dr. Leung believes the elderly and poor will get the money to de-fluoridate their water. With a poverty rate of 25 percent and a population of 13,400 in Meadville, one could assume at least 3,350 people in Meadville will have no choice but to accept what MAWA is selling.

To add insult to the customer, we will also have to pay to add fluoride. Can we just buy some toothbrushes and toothpaste for those who need it?

JEFFREY E. FINK

Meadville