A customer got in touch about installing an under-bench water filter in their Mount Eden apartment. They’d spent 25 years on tank water on a lifestyle block and had recently moved into the city — and the change in the water had been a shock. Something smelled and tasted wrong, and they’d put it down to fluoride.
It’s a really common assumption, and it’s worth answering properly, because the answer changes which filter you should buy.
What you’re actually smelling
Fluoride has no taste or smell at the levels used in the Auckland supply. What people notice when they move onto town water is chlorine, which is added to keep the water safe on its way to your house.
If you’ve come off rainwater, the contrast is stark. Tank water has no disinfectant in it at all, so town water can smell like a swimming pool by comparison — even though it’s perfectly good water.
So what does an under-bench filter remove?
The Puretec PureMix Z7 this customer was asking about reduces sediment and chlorine and inhibits scale, filtering to roughly 1 micron. That takes care of the chlorine smell and taste, which is what most people are actually complaining about.
It does not remove fluoride. Fluoride is a dissolved ion, and it’s outside what a standard carbon filter can do.
If you genuinely want fluoride reduced
There are two realistic options, and both are a step up in complexity:
- A twin under-bench system with its own drinking tap — two housings plumbed in series, the first reducing fluoride by up to about 90%, the second handling chlorine, taste, odour, heavy metals and sediment. The fluoride cartridge has a limited litre rating, so there’s an ongoing replacement cost.
- Reverse osmosis — the most effective option, removing up to about 98% of dissolved impurities including fluoride, heavy metals and PFAS, with its own dedicated faucet and annual servicing.
Both take more space under the bench and more maintenance than a single cartridge. That’s the honest trade-off.
What this customer chose
Once they knew the smell was chlorine rather than fluoride, the decision was easy — the Z7 does exactly what they needed. We installed it, and they were delighted with the difference.
We’d rather have that conversation before the job than sell someone a system that doesn’t do what they hoped.
One thing to check if you’re in an apartment
Find out where your water shut-off is before you book anything. If there’s a valve for your unit, the install is straightforward. If the only shut-off is for the whole building, the Body Corporate has to be involved and the job gets more complicated. In this case there was one valve per apartment on the outside of the building, so it was simple.
Thinking about a filter in Mount Eden or anywhere in central Auckland? Give us a call and tell us what you’re tasting — we’ll tell you which filter actually fixes it.
Common questions
Does an under-bench filter remove fluoride?
A standard carbon filter like the Z7 does not. Fluoride is a dissolved ion and needs either a dedicated fluoride cartridge or a reverse osmosis system, both of which take more space and more maintenance.
What am I actually tasting in Auckland town water?
Almost always chlorine, which is added to keep the water safe on its way to your house. Fluoride has no taste or smell at the levels used in the supply — which is why so many people who dislike the taste are surprised to learn what they’re reacting to.
We’ve come off tank water. Why is the difference so obvious?
Rainwater has no disinfectant in it at all, so town water can smell like a swimming pool by comparison. It’s a real difference, not your imagination, and a carbon filter deals with it well.
How often do the cartridges need replacing?
Typically about once a year for an under-bench cartridge, sooner if the household uses a lot of water. Fluoride cartridges have a litre rating rather than a time rating, so they need replacing more often.
Can a filter be installed in an apartment?
Usually yes — the key question is where the water shut-off is. If there’s a valve for your unit the install is straightforward; if the only shut-off is for the whole building, the Body Corporate has to be involved and it gets more complicated. Worth checking before you book anything.