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FluorideIn drinking water · contaminant reference

Standards with a claim for it

58

Also called F, Fluoridation.

Where it gets in

  1. At the source

  2. In treatment

    Forms or is added in treatment

  3. In the pipes

  4. At your tap

Legal limit
4.0 ppm
Health goal
4.0 ppm

Values in parts per million (ppm). Limits checked Oct. 4, 2026.

Where the rules stand

Final MCL and health goal of 4.0 ppm (4.0 mg/L), last reviewed by EPA in 2024. EPA also has a non-enforceable secondary standard of 2.0 ppm, for tooth discoloration. EPA announced a new review on April 7, 2025. It released an assessment plan on January 22, 2026 and a study protocol on August 3, 2026. As of Oct. 4, 2026, EPA has not proposed any change to the MCL.

The line every TapBuff report measures this contaminant on: the legal limit at the middle, twice it at the right end.

Has your utility been cited for it?

Federal data carries fluoride results only when a violation occurred. The measured level is in your utility’s own annual report. How to read it.

Matched to your utility using EPA records.

What EPA says about health

EPA lists bone disease, with pain and tenderness of the bones, from long-term exposure above the MCL. EPA also says children may get mottled teeth.

Where it comes from

Many utilities add fluoride, which EPA describes as a water additive that promotes strong teeth. EPA also lists erosion of natural deposits and discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories.

What handles it

  • NSF/ANSI 58

    Claim to look for: Fluoride Reduction

    NSF listing wording for reverse osmosis systems. WQA wording: "Fluoride."

Filters with that claim on a certifier’s listing

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Sources

  1. National Primary Drinking Water Regulations, U.S. EPA. Checked Oct. 4, 2026.
  2. Secondary Drinking Water Standards: Guidance for Nuisance Chemicals, U.S. EPA. Checked Oct. 4, 2026.
  3. Fluoride in Drinking Water, U.S. EPA. Checked Oct. 4, 2026.
  4. Search for NSF Certified Drinking Water Treatment Units (standards and reduction claims lists), NSF. Checked Oct. 4, 2026.
  5. Contaminant Reduction Claims Guide, NSF. Checked Oct. 4, 2026.
  6. Find WQA Certified Products (Gold Seal listings by standard and claim), Water Quality Association. Checked Oct. 4, 2026.
  7. SDWA Dataset Download Summary (codes from SDWA_REF_CODE_VALUES.csv, 2026 Q2 extract), U.S. EPA ECHO. Checked Oct. 4, 2026.

From here

  1. NSF/ANSI 58, decoded

    What NSF/ANSI 58 covers, and the claim to look for on a listing.

  2. Filters, checked

    Every filter TapBuff has checked against a certifier’s listing.

  3. Every contaminant

    Limits, health goals and where each one gets in.