Fluoride
Hartland Waterworks
Fluoride occurs naturally in surface and groundwater and is also added to drinking water by many water systems. Read More.
Fluoride has been promoted as a chemical that reduces dental cavities. Yet it is now well-established that fluoride primarily exerts its protective effects through topical mechanisms, such as sodium fluoride in toothpaste and mouthwash. In contrast, long-term ingestion of fluoride in water increases dental fluorosis, which includes mottling, pitting and weakening of the teeth. EPA's maximum legal limit is set at 4 parts per million (ppm) to prevent skeletal fluorosis, a condition where bones become brittle and more susceptible to fractures, although these effects may occur at lower doses.
Even fluoride levels of 0.7 ppm, the amount of fluoride in drinking water recommended by the U.S. Public Health Service, can result in too much fluoride for bottle-fed babies. EWG recommends that caregivers mix baby formula with fluoride-free water. The National Toxicology Program is investigating the potential for low doses of fluoride to alter thyroid function and childhood brain development.
Samples
Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)
Samples exceeding
health guidelines
Testing results - average by year
| Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 0.599 ppm | 29 | 25 | ND - 0.784 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.645 ppm | 25 | 25 | 0.1000 ppm - 0.715 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.643 ppm | 25 | 25 | 0.110 ppm - 0.714 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.577 ppm | 29 | 29 | 0.1000 ppm - 0.717 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.643 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.543 ppm - 0.700 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.668 ppm | 25 | 25 | 0.1000 ppm - 0.778 ppm |
ppm = parts per million
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 4 ppm
ppm = parts per million
All test results
| Date | Lab ID | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-01-08 | 115642001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2014-01-08 | 115642001 | 0.776 ppm |
| 2014-01-22 | 2961271-72 | ND |
| 2014-02-06 | 2968595-96 | ND |
| 2014-02-11 | 119411001 | 0.669 ppm |
| 2014-02-11 | 119411001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2014-02-24 | 2979694-95 | ND |
| 2014-02-26 | 2981933-34 | ND |
| 2014-02-27 | 2982697-98 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2014-03-05 | 122094001 | 0.669 ppm |
| 2014-03-05 | 122094001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2014-04-08 | 127106001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2014-04-08 | 127106001 | 0.711 ppm |
| 2014-05-06 | 131389001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2014-05-06 | 131389001 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2014-06-09 | 138427001 | 0.592 ppm |
| 2014-06-09 | 138427001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2014-07-14 | 145198001 | 0.634 ppm |
| 2014-07-14 | 145198001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2014-08-19 | 152497001 | 0.655 ppm |
| 2014-08-19 | 152497001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2014-09-03 | 155143001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2014-09-03 | 155143001 | 0.745 ppm |
| 2014-10-07 | 162767001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2014-10-07 | 162767001 | 0.784 ppm |
| 2014-11-05 | 167405001 | 0.662 ppm |
| 2014-11-05 | 167405001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2014-12-04 | 171255001 | 0.644 ppm |
| 2014-12-04 | 171255001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2015-01-07 | 174899001 | 0.651 ppm |
| 2015-01-07 | 174899001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2015-02-03 | 178360001 | 0.636 ppm |
| 2015-02-03 | 178360001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2015-02-04 | 3181049,53 | 0.1000 ppm |
| 2015-03-05 | 182301001 | 0.550 ppm |
| 2015-03-05 | 182301001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2015-04-13 | 187628001 | 0.620 ppm |
| 2015-04-13 | 187628001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2015-05-06 | 192058001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2015-05-06 | 192058001 | 0.715 ppm |
| 2015-06-09 | 199107001 | 0.663 ppm |
| 2015-06-09 | 199107001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2015-07-07 | 204748001 | 0.628 ppm |
| 2015-07-07 | 204748001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2015-08-06 | 210306001 | 0.642 ppm |
| 2015-08-06 | 210306001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2015-09-03 | 215586001 | 0.638 ppm |
| 2015-09-03 | 215586001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2015-10-05 | 221953001 | 0.612 ppm |
| 2015-10-05 | 221953001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2015-11-09 | 228327001 | 0.604 ppm |
| 2015-11-09 | 228327001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2015-12-01 | 230786001 | 0.658 ppm |
| 2015-12-01 | 230786001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2016-01-05 | 234557001 | 0.595 ppm |
| 2016-01-05 | 234557001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2016-01-28 | 903267 | 0.110 ppm |
| 2016-02-02 | 238126001 | 0.695 ppm |
| 2016-02-02 | 238126001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2016-03-02 | 242128001 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2016-03-02 | 242128001 | 0.714 ppm |
| 2016-04-05 | 247279001 | 0.618 ppm |
| 2016-04-05 | 247279001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2016-05-02 | 252400001 | 0.599 ppm |
| 2016-05-02 | 252400001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2016-06-01 | 257684001 | 0.688 ppm |
| 2016-06-01 | 257684001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2016-07-05 | 264817001 | 0.565 ppm |
| 2016-07-05 | 264817001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2016-08-09 | 271622001 | 0.683 ppm |
| 2016-08-09 | 271622001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2016-09-07 | 276493001 | 0.647 ppm |
| 2016-09-07 | 276493001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2016-10-11 | 283986001 | 0.593 ppm |
| 2016-10-11 | 283986001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2016-11-04 | 287845001 | 0.571 ppm |
| 2016-11-04 | 287845001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2016-12-06 | 292192001 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2016-12-06 | 292192001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2017-01-13 | 296784001 | 0.588 ppm |
| 2017-01-13 | 296784001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2017-02-07 | 972671 | 0.120 ppm |
| 2017-02-07 | 972674 | 0.130 ppm |
| 2017-02-13 | 973350 | 0.1000 ppm |
| 2017-02-13 | 973353 | 0.110 ppm |
| 2017-02-13 | 299888001 | 0.523 ppm |
| 2017-02-13 | 299888001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2017-03-06 | 303172001 | 0.577 ppm |
| 2017-03-06 | 303172001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2017-04-03 | 308011001 | 0.546 ppm |
| 2017-04-03 | 308011001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2017-04-18 | 983888 | 0.550 ppm |
| 2017-05-10 | 315237001 | 0.641 ppm |
| 2017-05-10 | 315237001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2017-06-06 | 320531001 | 0.668 ppm |
| 2017-06-06 | 320531001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2017-07-06 | 326628001 | 0.571 ppm |
| 2017-07-06 | 326628001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2017-08-02 | 333290001 | 0.665 ppm |
| 2017-08-02 | 333290001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2017-09-05 | 340485001 | 0.583 ppm |
| 2017-09-05 | 340485001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2017-10-02 | 346419001 | 0.568 ppm |
| 2017-10-02 | 346419001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2017-11-06 | 352824001 | 0.673 ppm |
| 2017-11-06 | 352824001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2017-12-12 | 359497001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2017-12-12 | 359497001 | 0.717 ppm |
| 2018-01-15 | 363086001 | 0.564 ppm |
| 2018-01-15 | 363086001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2018-02-20 | 368282001 | 0.543 ppm |
| 2018-02-20 | 368282001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2018-03-26 | 373042001 | 0.602 ppm |
| 2018-03-26 | 373042001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2018-04-06 | 374928001 | 0.588 ppm |
| 2018-04-06 | 374928001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2018-05-01 | 379835001 | 0.610 ppm |
| 2018-05-01 | 379835001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2018-06-19 | 389890001 | 0.581 ppm |
| 2018-06-19 | 389890001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2018-07-10 | 394192001 | 0.582 ppm |
| 2018-07-10 | 394192001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2018-08-13 | 401240001 | 0.568 ppm |
| 2018-08-13 | 401240001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2018-09-07 | 405906001 | 0.559 ppm |
| 2018-09-07 | 405906001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2018-10-16 | 415213001 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2018-10-16 | 415213001 | 0.604 ppm |
| 2018-11-05 | 418586001 | 0.645 ppm |
| 2018-11-05 | 418586001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2018-12-04 | 423061001 | 0.675 ppm |
| 2018-12-04 | 423061001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2019-01-02 | 426019001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2019-01-02 | 426019001 | 0.778 ppm |
| 2019-02-04 | 430546001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2019-02-04 | 430546001 | 0.702 ppm |
| 2019-03-06 | 1108215 | 0.1000 ppm |
| 2019-03-11 | 435217001 | 0.676 ppm |
| 2019-03-11 | 435217001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2019-04-01 | 438559001 | 0.677 ppm |
| 2019-04-01 | 438559001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2019-05-08 | 445297001 | 0.677 ppm |
| 2019-05-08 | 445297001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2019-06-10 | 451387001 | 0.671 ppm |
| 2019-06-10 | 451387001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2019-07-02 | 455488001 | 0.671 ppm |
| 2019-07-02 | 455488001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2019-08-12 | 463622001 | 0.684 ppm |
| 2019-08-12 | 463622001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2019-09-03 | 467870001 | 0.673 ppm |
| 2019-09-03 | 467870001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2019-10-01 | 474466001 | 0.676 ppm |
| 2019-10-01 | 474466001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2019-11-06 | 480315001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2019-11-06 | 480315001 | 0.728 ppm |
| 2019-12-17 | 487027001 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2019-12-17 | 487027001 | 0.675 ppm |