A method of treating water to remove fluoride ions from the water, thereby to reduce the dissolved fluoride content of the water, is provided. The method includes, in a contacting step, contacting water containing dissolved fluoride ions with alumina, to cause the fluoride ions to react with and become bound to the alumina. In a regenerating step, the alumina, when spent, is regenerated to drive off fluoride ions bound thereto. The regenerated alumina is recycled to the contacting step where it is used to remove further fluoride ions from the water. The fluoride ions driven off the alumina in the regenerating step are passed on to downstream processing thereof.