Filtering Water to Eliminate Chlorine and Fluoride

While helping a friend cope with kidney disease, I was alarmed to discover that the chlorine and fluoride in city water are thought to contribute to kidney problems. I searched for ways to avoid drinking the water from my tap. Installing a reverse osmosis system would have been expensive, and I felt I could not afford to have water delivered by a subscription service. Drinking only bottled water was not an option for me because I did not want to contribute plastic bottles to landfills.

My Berkey Water Filter

Removing Chlorine, Fluoride, and Impurities

Then I discovered a viable solution: a Berkey filtering system. I purchased a Big Berkey, which holds plenty of filtered water for a day. The water passes through the filters attached to the floor of the upper chamber and continues through the second set of filters attached to the ceiling of the lower chamber. After such extensive filtering, the water is nearly free of chlorine, and the fluoride has been greatly reduced. Once a month, I clean the two chambers—a process as simple as cleaning two pots by hand in my kitchen sink.

And the difference in the water is incredible!

While I fill a pitcher with water to pour into my Big Berkey, I now smell the strong odor of chlorine (essentially bleach) in the water from my kitchen tap. I never noticed the smell before. The water that comes from the spigot in the lower chamber of my filtering system has no offensive chlorine smell.

The taste of the water from my Big Berkey is fresh and pure! Coffee made from the filtered water is noticeably better!

I can take my Big Berkey with me when I travel by automobile. There is nothing to plug in. All I have to do is fill the upper chamber with water and wait for it to filter into the lower chamber.

I cook with the water from my Big Berkey. I fill my dogs’ water bowl with water from my Big Berkey, and my houseplants receive the same water.

I became concerned about taking baths in city water, so I bought a small Berkey filter to replace the shower head that fills my tub. I found it easy to install the filter, which simply screws onto a pipe. While the filter does not remove the fluoride, it does eliminate most of the chlorine. I have shortened the time I spend in the tub so as to ensure that I am not absorbing too much fluoride.

I have sensitivity to chlorine, which will cause my skin—particularly on my face or fingers—to become irritated. With the Berkey filter that fills my tub, I no longer experience rashes from chlorine.