ZeroWater Filters/Flouride. Legit or Not?

[Gensonic]

I ran across a ZeroWater filter at HomeDepot and decided to do some investigation on it, specifically if it removes fluoride. From the the products website ( http://www.zerowater.com/ ) I didn't see any mention of fluoride removal and the 'FDA definition for purified bottled water' claim didn't settle well with me. I was going to pretty much write it off, but decided to see if I could find any customer reviews of the product and I found this intresting comment made by a sheep.


I was in Home Depot this afternoon. A salesman offered a small cup of water from his Zero water filtration system, and showed me the difference between tap, bottled, and filtered water. His gadget looks like an electronic thermometer, but he says it measures the "stuff" in the water. He wasn't exactly sure what the "stuff" was, but he could measure it. Naturally, the Zero system measured...you guessed it...zero. All the other water was between 90 and 170 on the stuff-o-meter.

Then I asked if it removed giardia or viruses. "Well, not yet", he responded. "But we're adding a biologicals filter soon."

I asked if this was a reverse-osmosis device. "No", he said, "it's a triple filter." I thought triple filters were for vodka.

Then I asked if it removed fluorides. "Oh, yes! it removes all the fluoride." I said I have kids in the house and fluoride is good for their teeth. "Oh, no, fluoride is a poison. Read the label on a toothpaste tube. It says if you swallow it to seek medical attention."

Now, I don't mind talking with a salesman just doing his job, but I do object to the use of misinformation and fear mongering as a sales tactic. I'll give the guy points for doing a good presentation, but when my personal nut job alarm started sounding, I left quickly.

But there's a question in this after all - should a retailer permit on-site sales by an outside company when that company engages in deceptive sales practices?

(Original source I found this at is blocked at work. But, he did post it on another forum here: http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8099 )


The replies he got back from the original site I saw where far better on telling the truth of fluoride than the ones on the forum posting above. But It just had me wondering, if this sales person knows at least some truth of fluoride is he telling the truth about the filter or "fear mongering" and anything else he can to sell the product.


I've continued doing research and found this guy asking if anyone has had experience. He wrote ZeroWater asking if it removes fluoride and they replied back to him that it does. However, later in the replies he chooses to stay away from the product. ( http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/appl/msg1112222610208.html )


Those have been the only two examples I've found where the company is making claims that it removes fluoride from water. I know some company's will say anything to sell their products, but here is a case where someone said yes it removes fluoride to a guy who wanted it too and one who didn't. I'm trying to find out if A.) They're just trying to sell a false sense of security and not filter it out, or B.) Maybe they know the truth and do filter fluoride out, but keep hushed because they know sheep want shiny whites! or C.) They're just making lewd claims and gimmicks to make a buck.

I don't know exactly what filtration system method it exactly is. But here is an article on TreeHugger.com (another thing I'm leery of) which is promoting and explaining the 5 phase filter ... No mention of fluoride at all. ( http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/09/zero-water-filter.php )

STAGE 1 A 20 to 50 micron filter designed to remove suspended solids such as dust and rust that make your water appear cloudy.

STAGE 2 Activated carbon that is Class I rated for chlorine.

STAGE 3 A water distributor screen that also removes suspended solids.

STAGE 4 Specialty resins that reduce levels of metals such as lead, mercury, and chromium in your water.

STAGE 5 A 1 micron filter designed to removed suspended solids.


I'm undecided on how to make the call. I've seen warning signs, goods and bads, but I don't have a lot of knowledge about what exactly does filter out fluoride. So is this company a crock of **** or maybe somewhat legit?

[kermitthefrayer]

Sounds like a standard sheepeople filter to like a fancy britta or something...  I would just stick with RO or Berkey with the extra filter.

[darryl1928]

STAGE 1 A 20 to 50 micron filter designed to remove suspended solids such as dust and rust that make your water appear cloudy.

STAGE 2 Activated carbon that is Class I rated for chlorine.

STAGE 3 A water distributor screen that also removes suspended solids.

STAGE 4 Specialty resins that reduce levels of metals such as lead, mercury, and chromium in your water.

STAGE 5 A 1 micron filter designed to removed suspended solids.



The two ways to filter out fluoride are Reverse Osmosis and activated alumina (aluminum oxide). Even these need at least a full sized cartridge to be fully effective. I do not see how this system can be effective in removing fluoride without using a media that reduces fluoride and with such a small amount of contact time.

There is a small chance stage 4 does remove some fluoride because activated alumina also removes lead. Even if they are using activated alumina in stage 4 the amount of media would not be very effective at removing fluoride.

[Sabumnim]

Dear Friend,

In response to your discussion about the ZeroWater pitchers and their removal of fluoride, and particularly to your referral of the salesperson as "misinformation and fear-mongering", I would like to clarify what he/she was trying to say, but perhaps did not do so as clearly as you would have liked.

Fluoride is in fact toxic to our bodies when take in certain quantities.  One would not want to swallow a tube of fluoride toothpaste for that (and other obvious reasons).  However, the fluoridation of water began a number of years back, when dentists discovered that persons from regions in which the water contained higher fluorine content had far fewer cavities in thei teeth.  Eventually the American Dental Association (with the help of the AMA) encouraged most municipal water authorities to fluoridate water, with the hope that this would improve dental health.  It did, to some extent.  However, this is the important part:  fluoride is only effective as a TOPICAL treatment, so while those drinking water with fluoride had better teeth, it was because the fluoride was making contact with the teeth and NOT because the body was absorbing fluoride and then depositing it on the teeth miraculously.  In addition, flourine (like chlorine) is unstable in its pure form and must be combined with another chemical in order to be handled (or dissolved into water).  And this is most important:  flourine is toxic to humans primarily because it (and to some extent, chlorine) blocks iodine receptors in the thyroid gland, which as you might know, is a "master gland", controls metabolism and many functions in the body, and relies on iodine for that function. One of the major causes of thyroid problems in modern humans is directly related to consumption of fluoride compounds, which is why many urban water programs are now decreasing the amounts of fluoride being added to their supplies.  The fact is, flouride is completely unnecessary in water supplies, as humans should be fluoridating their teeth topically (mouthwashes and toothpaste).

[egypt]

Every cell in the body has iodine receptors.  When iodine is not available, fluoride and bromide are absorbed to take iodine's place.  So, it isn't only the thyroid that is affected, but our entire bodies.

It's on purpose that fluoride is added to the water because when we shower, it absorbs through the skin.  It is poisonous and causes cancer.  Bromide is poisonous also, and used as an insect fumigant, causing cancer.

Our eugenics-driven government has cleverly seen that we do not have iodine available to us except in very small amounts and calling more as poisonous (not true).   Then, our eugenics-driven government has forced fluoride on humanity in many ways.  Bromide replaced iodide as an anti-caking agent in flour, for instance.

See Dr. David Brownstein (MD) on YouTube.  Particularly-informative is his movie "Iodine: The Most Misunderstood..."

My personal take:  If someone wants to ingest fluoride, let them take the pills.  It is criminal to mass-medicate through the water against anyone's will.

Love, e

[Committed]

On the subject of fluoride filters, here's one I've been using on my fridge.  Along with my whole house filter I have some degree of confidence that my water is free of toxins.

http://purewateressentials.com/rf00704.html

Crystal Quest Fluoride removing filters contain a special Fluoride removing resin called CQ-900. CQ-900 is a high capacity synthetic adsorbent media that is highly selective for lead, arsenic and fluoride. The extremely high surface area and pore distribution gives this media the highest possible operating capacity and lowest possible leakage.

Features & Benefits

•     CQ-900 is a synthetic aluminum oxide that is specially processed to have a minimum of fines and other foreign matter.
  
      CQ-900 removes metals through a combination of adsorption and chemical reaction with the media, thus the removal is not dependent on ion exchange.
  
      CQ-900 has a uniform particle size similar to ion exchange resins. It has minimal shrinkage or swelling and low pressure loss. It is physically stable and can be used over a wide pH range.

[Ur3nigma]

The zero reading on the "water thermometer" means zero electrical conductivity--actually very low electrical conductivity.  Pure water is extremely non-conductive.  It has to have ions dissolved in it to transfer electrical current.  If there are F- ions in the water they would be facilitating some electrical conductivity.  You can therefore infer that it is unlikely that there are measurable F- ions in the water.  Furthermore, F- ions will be removed if they are exposed to Ca+ or Na+ ions in the filtration system.  I haven't bothered to check and see if that's so...

[XP1]

Here's the answer from ZeroWater's FAQ:
http://www.zerowater.com/certification-cleaning.html

Q. Does the ZeroWater filter remove Floride?
A. ZeroWater filters are not certified for the reduction of fluoride however fluoride is an inorganic compound. The TDS meter is designed to detect inorganic compounds. Fluoride levels in water are usually around 2 to 4 ppm, which will show up on the meter as 002 to 004. So when filtered water reads 000 it is not likely that fluoride is present in water.

[kerrymti]

Well, as a lot of you know, money is getting harder to find...I do not have the money to get a Berkey and the filters that filter flouride.  I do have a 'sheeple' filter on my sink that we use for drinking and cooking.  It at least removes the 'other stuff' that is harmful.  I am saving up to get a Berkey (or comparable) to remove flouride, the problem is that the filters are getting increasingly expensive (like everything else, the actual product is not the real expense, it is the attachments that have to be continually bought).  Any suggestions?

[Committed]

Well, as a lot of you know, money is getting harder to find...I do not have the money to get a Berkey and the filters that filter flouride.  I do have a 'sheeple' filter on my sink that we use for drinking and cooking.  It at least removes the 'other stuff' that is harmful.  I am saving up to get a Berkey (or comparable) to remove flouride, the problem is that the filters are getting increasingly expensive (like everything else, the actual product is not the real expense, it is the attachments that have to be continually bought).  Any suggestions?

These are the most affordable fluoride filters I know of.  They use the alumina material to remove fluoride. 
http://purewateressentials.com/special-purpose-water-filters-fluoride-filters-undersink-fluoride-filters.html

[Information Warfare]

Reverse Osmosis or Distillation are the most effective water purification methods ive seen. Combine these two methods with carbon filtration and you will have some squeaky clean water indeed.