Fluoride
Central Arkansas Water
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 | 0.688 ppm | 26 | 26 | 0.540 ppm - 0.910 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.715 ppm | 26 | 26 | 0.460 ppm - 0.830 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.764 ppm | 26 | 26 | 0.630 ppm - 0.840 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.751 ppm | 27 | 26 | ND - 0.880 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.770 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.640 ppm - 0.950 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.736 ppm | 23 | 23 | 0.450 ppm - 0.850 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-01-10 | 140160006 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2014-01-10 | 140160005 | 0.620 ppm |
| 2014-01-29 | 140300037 | 0.880 ppm |
| 2014-02-13 | 140550016 | 0.590 ppm |
| 2014-02-13 | 140550017 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2014-03-14 | 140900012 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2014-03-14 | 140900013 | 0.560 ppm |
| 2014-04-17 | 141110013 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2014-04-17 | 141110012 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2014-05-20 | 141470025 | 0.640 ppm |
| 2014-05-20 | 141470024 | 0.540 ppm |
| 2014-06-18 | 141810010 | 0.640 ppm |
| 2014-06-18 | 141810012 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2014-07-09 | 141950019 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2014-07-09 | 141950020 | 0.620 ppm |
| 2014-08-12 | 142250002 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2014-08-21 | 142370021 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2014-08-21 | 142370022 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2014-09-19 | 142720007 | 0.910 ppm |
| 2014-09-19 | 142720008 | 0.870 ppm |
| 2014-10-27 | Y143070002 | 0.590 ppm |
| 2014-10-29 | Y143070003 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2014-11-03 | Y143110016 | 0.620 ppm |
| 2014-11-03 | Y143110015 | 0.870 ppm |
| 2014-12-09 | Y143490042 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2014-12-09 | Y143490043 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2015-01-12 | Y150200005 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2015-01-16 | Y150200006 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2015-02-07 | Y150500005 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2015-02-09 | Y150500006 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2015-03-10 | Y150700010 | 0.460 ppm |
| 2015-03-26 | Y150890010 | 0.550 ppm |
| 2015-03-26 | Y150890011 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2015-04-09 | Y151110018 | 0.620 ppm |
| 2015-04-09 | Y151110017 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2015-05-19 | Y151420015 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2015-05-19 | Y151420014 | 0.570 ppm |
| 2015-06-25 | Y151800016 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2015-06-25 | Y151800017 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2015-07-09 | Y151950018 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2015-07-09 | Y151950017 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2015-08-03 | Y152180038 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2015-08-10 | Y152260042 | 0.830 ppm |
| 2015-08-10 | Y152260034 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2015-09-10 | Y152580018 | 0.760 ppm |
| 2015-09-10 | Y152580019 | 0.760 ppm |
| 2015-10-21 | Y152990034 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2015-10-21 | Y152990033 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2015-11-11 | Y153200038 | 0.760 ppm |
| 2015-11-11 | Y153200037 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2015-12-10 | Y153480043 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2015-12-10 | Y153480042 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2016-01-11 | Y160200025 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2016-01-11 | Y160200026 | 0.840 ppm |
| 2016-02-01 | Y160360001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2016-02-18 | Y160530017 | 0.760 ppm |
| 2016-02-18 | Y160530018 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2016-03-21 | Y160880018 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2016-03-21 | Y160880019 | 0.810 ppm |
| 2016-04-14 | Y161160006 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2016-04-14 | Y161160007 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2016-05-18 | Y161520003 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2016-05-18 | Y161520001 | 0.760 ppm |
| 2016-06-15 | Y161790042 | 0.630 ppm |
| 2016-06-15 | Y161790043 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2016-07-18 | Y162040003 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2016-07-24 | Y162210015 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2016-07-24 | Y162210016 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2016-08-16 | Y162350009 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2016-08-16 | Y162350010 | 0.760 ppm |
| 2016-09-15 | Y162640046 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2016-09-15 | Y162640047 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2016-10-10 | Y162880079 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2016-10-10 | Y162880081 | 0.840 ppm |
| 2016-11-03 | Y163260004 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2016-11-16 | Y163260005 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2016-12-18 | Y163550009 | 0.810 ppm |
| 2016-12-18 | Y163550010 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2017-01-18 | Y170200006 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2017-01-18 | Y170200007 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2017-02-01 | Y170330011 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2017-02-14 | Y170480012 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2017-02-14 | Y170480013 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2017-03-23 | Y170930001 | 0.830 ppm |
| 2017-03-23 | Y170930002 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2017-04-12 | Y171070036 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2017-04-13 | Y171070035 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2017-05-16 | Y171420022 | ND |
| 2017-05-16 | Y171420023 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2017-05-26 | Y171460024 | 0.880 ppm |
| 2017-06-20 | Y171770033 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2017-06-20 | Y171770034 | 0.810 ppm |
| 2017-07-12 | Y171980058 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2017-07-12 | Y171980059 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2017-08-01 | Y172150016 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2017-08-10 | Y172260063 | 0.760 ppm |
| 2017-08-10 | Y172260064 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2017-09-13 | Y172610031 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2017-09-13 | Y172610032 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2017-10-18 | Y172960029 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2017-10-18 | Y172960030 | 0.840 ppm |
| 2017-11-08 | Y173170054 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2017-11-08 | Y173170055 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2017-12-05 | Y173450044 | 0.830 ppm |
| 2017-12-05 | Y173450046 | 0.840 ppm |
| 2018-01-02 | Y180040003 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2018-01-11 | Y180180063 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2018-01-11 | Y180180064 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2018-02-14 | Y180530012 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2018-02-14 | Y180530011 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2018-03-19 | Y180850006 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2018-03-19 | Y180850008 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2018-04-18 | Y181130013 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2018-04-18 | Y181130014 | 0.930 ppm |
| 2018-05-15 | Y181410011 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2018-05-15 | Y181410012 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2018-06-28 | Y181830026 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2018-06-28 | Y181830027 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2018-07-24 | Y182120008 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2018-07-24 | Y182120005 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2018-08-06 | Y182210001 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2018-08-21 | Y182400012 | 0.830 ppm |
| 2018-08-21 | Y182400013 | 0.950 ppm |
| 2018-09-19 | Y182670025 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2018-09-19 | Y182670024 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2018-11-08 | Y183170049 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2018-11-08 | Y183170050 | 0.760 ppm |
| 2018-12-12 | Y183510025 | 0.640 ppm |
| 2018-12-12 | Y183510026 | 0.880 ppm |
| 2019-01-07 | Y190100005 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2019-01-28 | Y190350002 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2019-01-28 | Y190350001 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2019-02-20 | Y190560029 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2019-02-20 | Y190560028 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2019-03-19 | Y190840022 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2019-03-20 | Y190840021 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2019-04-17 | Y191120026 | 0.850 ppm |
| 2019-04-17 | Y191120027 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2019-05-23 | Y191540010 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2019-05-30 | Y191540011 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2019-06-19 | Y191750016 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2019-06-19 | Y191750017 | 0.450 ppm |
| 2019-07-16 | Y192030005 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2019-07-16 | Y192030006 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2019-08-15 | Y192320038 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2019-08-18 | Y192320037 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2019-09-05 | Y192540040 | 0.850 ppm |
| 2019-09-05 | Y192540041 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2019-09-09 | Y192550007 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2019-10-22 | Y193010033 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2019-11-17 | Y193220044 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2019-12-09 | Y193470024 | 0.710 ppm |