Fluoride
La Valle 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 | 0.750 ppm | 25 | 25 | 0.700 ppm - 0.800 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.662 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.600 ppm - 0.700 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.629 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.385 ppm - 0.861 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.605 ppm | 25 | 25 | 0.0500 ppm - 0.804 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.739 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.700 ppm - 0.800 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.751 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.700 ppm - 0.800 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-01-21 | 116778001 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2014-01-21 | 116778001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2014-02-18 | 119978001 | 0.714 ppm |
| 2014-02-18 | 119978001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2014-03-17 | 123558001 | 0.738 ppm |
| 2014-03-17 | 123558001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2014-04-22 | 128688001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2014-04-22 | 128688001 | 0.718 ppm |
| 2014-05-20 | 133830001 | 0.736 ppm |
| 2014-05-20 | 133830001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2014-06-24 | 141196001 | 0.765 ppm |
| 2014-06-24 | 141196001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2014-07-15 | 4070665-02 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2014-07-22 | 146976001 | 0.754 ppm |
| 2014-07-22 | 146976001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2014-08-26 | 153614001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2014-08-26 | 153614001 | 0.757 ppm |
| 2014-09-22 | 159008001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2014-09-22 | 159008001 | 0.744 ppm |
| 2014-10-21 | 164828001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2014-10-21 | 164828001 | 0.764 ppm |
| 2014-11-18 | 169082001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2014-11-18 | 169082001 | 0.737 ppm |
| 2014-12-22 | 173632001 | 0.775 ppm |
| 2014-12-22 | 173632001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2015-01-20 | 176516001 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2015-01-20 | 176516001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2015-02-17 | 180142001 | 0.647 ppm |
| 2015-02-17 | 180142001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2015-03-23 | 184565001 | 0.694 ppm |
| 2015-03-23 | 184565001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2015-04-22 | 189578001 | 0.643 ppm |
| 2015-04-22 | 189578001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2015-05-19 | 194801001 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2015-05-19 | 194801001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2015-06-23 | 201510001 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2015-06-23 | 201510001 | 0.699 ppm |
| 2015-07-20 | 206904001 | 0.679 ppm |
| 2015-07-20 | 206904001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2015-08-19 | 212868001 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2015-08-19 | 212868001 | 0.633 ppm |
| 2015-09-21 | 219119001 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2015-09-21 | 219119001 | 0.624 ppm |
| 2015-10-20 | 224998001 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2015-10-20 | 224998001 | 0.643 ppm |
| 2015-11-23 | 229908001 | 0.671 ppm |
| 2015-11-23 | 229908001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2015-12-21 | 233620001 | 0.643 ppm |
| 2015-12-21 | 233620001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2016-01-19 | 236321001 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2016-01-19 | 236321001 | 0.633 ppm |
| 2016-02-16 | 240132001 | 0.673 ppm |
| 2016-02-16 | 240132001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2016-03-21 | 245118001 | 0.655 ppm |
| 2016-03-21 | 245118001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2016-04-18 | 249366001 | 0.385 ppm |
| 2016-04-18 | 249366001 | 0.500 ppm |
| 2016-05-23 | 256003001 | 0.656 ppm |
| 2016-05-23 | 256003001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2016-06-21 | 261980001 | 0.654 ppm |
| 2016-06-21 | 261980001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2016-07-19 | 267198001 | 0.652 ppm |
| 2016-07-19 | 267198001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2016-08-22 | 273563001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2016-08-22 | 273563001 | 0.861 ppm |
| 2016-09-19 | 278717001 | 0.607 ppm |
| 2016-09-19 | 278717001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2016-10-18 | 284836001 | 0.500 ppm |
| 2016-10-18 | 284836001 | 0.538 ppm |
| 2016-11-16 | 289648001 | 0.500 ppm |
| 2016-11-16 | 289648001 | 0.558 ppm |
| 2016-12-20 | 293934001 | 0.520 ppm |
| 2016-12-20 | 293934001 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2017-01-23 | 297149001 | 0.612 ppm |
| 2017-01-23 | 297149001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2017-02-21 | 301185001 | 0.564 ppm |
| 2017-02-21 | 301185001 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2017-03-21 | 305618001 | 0.579 ppm |
| 2017-03-21 | 305618001 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2017-03-22 | 17C0860-01 | 0.0500 ppm |
| 2017-04-18 | 310796001 | 0.598 ppm |
| 2017-04-18 | 310796001 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2017-05-24 | 318057001 | 0.500 ppm |
| 2017-05-24 | 318057001 | 0.554 ppm |
| 2017-06-20 | 323456001 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2017-06-20 | 323456001 | 0.694 ppm |
| 2017-07-25 | 331328001 | 0.200 ppm |
| 2017-07-25 | 331328001 | 0.216 ppm |
| 2017-08-21 | 337123001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2017-08-21 | 337123001 | 0.772 ppm |
| 2017-09-19 | 343749001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2017-09-19 | 343749001 | 0.766 ppm |
| 2017-10-24 | 350883001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2017-10-24 | 350883001 | 0.777 ppm |
| 2017-11-20 | 355648001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2017-11-20 | 355648001 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2017-12-18 | 359962001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2017-12-18 | 359962001 | 0.804 ppm |
| 2018-01-23 | 364076001 | 0.761 ppm |
| 2018-01-23 | 364076001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2018-02-21 | 368128001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2018-02-21 | 368128001 | 0.719 ppm |
| 2018-03-21 | 372479001 | 0.722 ppm |
| 2018-03-21 | 372479001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2018-04-24 | 378157001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2018-04-24 | 378157001 | 0.717 ppm |
| 2018-05-22 | 384162001 | 0.752 ppm |
| 2018-05-22 | 384162001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2018-06-19 | 389599001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2018-06-19 | 389599001 | 0.742 ppm |
| 2018-07-24 | 396788001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2018-07-24 | 396788001 | 0.754 ppm |
| 2018-08-22 | 402984001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2018-08-22 | 402984001 | 0.745 ppm |
| 2018-09-19 | 409305001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2018-09-19 | 409305001 | 0.763 ppm |
| 2018-10-23 | 416175001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2018-10-23 | 416175001 | 0.788 ppm |
| 2018-11-20 | 420883001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2018-11-20 | 420883001 | 0.733 ppm |
| 2018-12-18 | 425163001 | 0.746 ppm |
| 2018-12-18 | 425163001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2019-01-21 | 428471001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2019-01-21 | 428471001 | 0.768 ppm |
| 2019-02-25 | 432910001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2019-02-25 | 432910001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2019-03-19 | 436351001 | 0.708 ppm |
| 2019-03-19 | 436351001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2019-04-23 | 442124001 | 0.752 ppm |
| 2019-04-23 | 442124001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2019-05-20 | 447227001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2019-05-20 | 447227001 | 0.709 ppm |
| 2019-06-18 | 452697001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2019-06-18 | 452697001 | 0.727 ppm |
| 2019-07-23 | 459424001 | 0.766 ppm |
| 2019-07-23 | 459424001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2019-08-19 | 464780001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2019-08-19 | 464780001 | 0.758 ppm |
| 2019-09-24 | 472534001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2019-09-24 | 472534001 | 0.784 ppm |
| 2019-10-22 | 477861001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2019-10-22 | 477861001 | 0.757 ppm |
| 2019-11-19 | 482563001 | 0.758 ppm |
| 2019-11-19 | 482563001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2019-12-23 | 487387001 | 0.797 ppm |
| 2019-12-23 | 487387001 | 0.800 ppm |