Fluoride
Onalaska 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.
Testing results - average by year
Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A |
2014 | 0.702 ppm | 28 | 28 | 0.600 ppm - 0.750 ppm |
2015 | 0.726 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.660 ppm - 0.861 ppm |
2016 | 0.751 ppm | 25 | 25 | 0.0900 ppm - 0.850 ppm |
2017 | 0.694 ppm | 26 | 26 | 0.0800 ppm - 0.770 ppm |
2018 | 0.710 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.661 ppm - 0.750 ppm |
2019 | 0.714 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.670 ppm - 0.790 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 |
---|---|---|
2014-01-07 | 115271001 | 0.728 ppm |
2014-01-07 | 115271001 | 0.750 ppm |
2014-02-04 | 118777001 | 0.720 ppm |
2014-02-04 | 118777001 | 0.737 ppm |
2014-03-03 | 122122001 | 0.737 ppm |
2014-03-03 | 122122001 | 0.740 ppm |
2014-04-08 | 127285001 | 0.720 ppm |
2014-04-08 | 127285001 | 0.746 ppm |
2014-05-06 | 131491001 | 0.700 ppm |
2014-05-06 | 131491001 | 0.705 ppm |
2014-06-03 | 137381001 | 0.700 ppm |
2014-06-03 | 137381001 | 0.701 ppm |
2014-07-02 | 143594001 | 0.659 ppm |
2014-07-02 | 143594001 | 0.690 ppm |
2014-07-08 | 4070275-01 | 0.600 ppm |
2014-07-08 | 4070275-02 | 0.640 ppm |
2014-07-08 | 4070279-04 | 0.710 ppm |
2014-07-08 | 4070279-03 | 0.730 ppm |
2014-08-05 | 150139001 | 0.680 ppm |
2014-08-05 | 150139001 | 0.715 ppm |
2014-09-03 | 155206001 | 0.690 ppm |
2014-09-03 | 155206001 | 0.700 ppm |
2014-10-07 | 162909001 | 0.710 ppm |
2014-10-07 | 162909001 | 0.728 ppm |
2014-11-03 | 167425001 | 0.692 ppm |
2014-11-03 | 167425001 | 0.700 ppm |
2014-12-01 | 170961001 | 0.654 ppm |
2014-12-01 | 170961001 | 0.670 ppm |
2015-01-06 | 174933001 | 0.670 ppm |
2015-01-06 | 174933001 | 0.674 ppm |
2015-02-02 | 178472001 | 0.670 ppm |
2015-02-02 | 178472001 | 0.681 ppm |
2015-03-02 | 182252001 | 0.670 ppm |
2015-03-02 | 182252001 | 0.734 ppm |
2015-04-08 | 187329001 | 0.670 ppm |
2015-04-08 | 187329001 | 0.676 ppm |
2015-05-11 | 193589001 | 0.660 ppm |
2015-05-11 | 193589001 | 0.671 ppm |
2015-06-08 | 199212001 | 0.690 ppm |
2015-06-08 | 199212001 | 0.733 ppm |
2015-07-06 | 204607001 | 0.699 ppm |
2015-07-06 | 204607001 | 0.710 ppm |
2015-08-05 | 210439001 | 0.710 ppm |
2015-08-05 | 210439001 | 0.735 ppm |
2015-09-08 | 216565001 | 0.708 ppm |
2015-09-08 | 216565001 | 0.720 ppm |
2015-10-07 | 222984001 | 0.790 ppm |
2015-10-07 | 222984001 | 0.796 ppm |
2015-11-04 | 227463001 | 0.820 ppm |
2015-11-04 | 227463001 | 0.861 ppm |
2015-12-01 | 230959001 | 0.840 ppm |
2015-12-01 | 230959001 | 0.845 ppm |
2016-01-05 | 235020001 | 0.849 ppm |
2016-01-05 | 235020001 | 0.850 ppm |
2016-02-08 | 239476001 | 0.840 ppm |
2016-02-08 | 239476001 | 0.842 ppm |
2016-03-02 | 242355001 | 0.830 ppm |
2016-03-02 | 242355001 | 0.849 ppm |
2016-04-04 | 247532001 | 0.815 ppm |
2016-04-04 | 247532001 | 0.840 ppm |
2016-05-02 | 252642001 | 0.800 ppm |
2016-05-02 | 252642001 | 0.810 ppm |
2016-06-07 | 259516001 | 0.771 ppm |
2016-06-07 | 259516001 | 0.800 ppm |
2016-06-15 | 6060645-01 | 0.0900 ppm |
2016-07-11 | 266251001 | 0.761 ppm |
2016-07-11 | 266251001 | 0.790 ppm |
2016-08-01 | 270385001 | 0.727 ppm |
2016-08-01 | 270385001 | 0.750 ppm |
2016-09-06 | 276458001 | 0.730 ppm |
2016-09-06 | 276458001 | 0.741 ppm |
2016-10-04 | 282721001 | 0.705 ppm |
2016-10-04 | 282721001 | 0.750 ppm |
2016-11-01 | 287355001 | 0.702 ppm |
2016-11-01 | 287355001 | 0.710 ppm |
2016-12-06 | 292144001 | 0.700 ppm |
2016-12-06 | 292144001 | 0.732 ppm |
2017-01-04 | 295076001 | 0.681 ppm |
2017-01-04 | 295076001 | 0.690 ppm |
2017-02-08 | 299425001 | 0.710 ppm |
2017-02-08 | 299425001 | 0.711 ppm |
2017-02-21 | 17B0709-04 | 0.650 ppm |
2017-02-21 | 17B0709-05 | 0.710 ppm |
2017-02-22 | 17B0781-01 | 0.0800 ppm |
2017-02-22 | 17B0781-02 | 0.620 ppm |
2017-04-03 | 308272001 | 0.702 ppm |
2017-04-03 | 308272001 | 0.740 ppm |
2017-05-02 | 313455001 | 0.720 ppm |
2017-05-02 | 313455001 | 0.755 ppm |
2017-06-05 | 319783001 | 0.750 ppm |
2017-06-05 | 319783001 | 0.754 ppm |
2017-07-03 | 325776001 | 0.751 ppm |
2017-07-03 | 325776001 | 0.760 ppm |
2017-08-01 | 333152001 | 0.760 ppm |
2017-08-01 | 333152001 | 0.770 ppm |
2017-09-12 | 341956001 | 0.707 ppm |
2017-09-12 | 341956001 | 0.750 ppm |
2017-10-02 | 346807001 | 0.705 ppm |
2017-10-02 | 346807001 | 0.710 ppm |
2017-11-01 | 352245001 | 0.693 ppm |
2017-11-01 | 352245001 | 0.710 ppm |
2017-12-05 | 358083001 | 0.710 ppm |
2017-12-05 | 358083001 | 0.756 ppm |
2018-01-03 | 361383001 | 0.688 ppm |
2018-01-03 | 361383001 | 0.740 ppm |
2018-02-01 | 365088001 | 0.699 ppm |
2018-02-01 | 365088001 | 0.720 ppm |
2018-03-01 | 369071001 | 0.661 ppm |
2018-03-01 | 369071001 | 0.700 ppm |
2018-04-02 | 374699001 | 0.668 ppm |
2018-04-02 | 374699001 | 0.710 ppm |
2018-05-01 | 379780001 | 0.687 ppm |
2018-05-01 | 379780001 | 0.690 ppm |
2018-06-05 | 387046001 | 0.698 ppm |
2018-06-05 | 387046001 | 0.710 ppm |
2018-07-02 | 392308001 | 0.710 ppm |
2018-07-02 | 392308001 | 0.750 ppm |
2018-08-01 | 398509001 | 0.720 ppm |
2018-08-01 | 398509001 | 0.725 ppm |
2018-09-04 | 405580001 | 0.720 ppm |
2018-09-04 | 405580001 | 0.721 ppm |
2018-10-02 | 412542001 | 0.700 ppm |
2018-10-02 | 412542001 | 0.704 ppm |
2018-11-06 | 418772001 | 0.731 ppm |
2018-11-06 | 418772001 | 0.740 ppm |
2018-12-03 | 422717001 | 0.717 ppm |
2018-12-03 | 422717001 | 0.740 ppm |
2019-01-04 | 427088001 | 0.692 ppm |
2019-01-04 | 427088001 | 0.720 ppm |
2019-02-01 | 430575001 | 0.670 ppm |
2019-02-01 | 430575001 | 0.697 ppm |
2019-03-04 | 434366001 | 0.694 ppm |
2019-03-04 | 434366001 | 0.720 ppm |
2019-04-02 | 438868001 | 0.699 ppm |
2019-04-02 | 438868001 | 0.710 ppm |
2019-05-06 | 445113001 | 0.741 ppm |
2019-05-06 | 445113001 | 0.790 ppm |
2019-06-03 | 450352001 | 0.677 ppm |
2019-06-03 | 450352001 | 0.700 ppm |
2019-07-09 | 457038001 | 0.694 ppm |
2019-07-09 | 457038001 | 0.760 ppm |
2019-08-05 | 462577001 | 0.698 ppm |
2019-08-05 | 462577001 | 0.740 ppm |
2019-09-03 | 467977001 | 0.697 ppm |
2019-09-03 | 467977001 | 0.760 ppm |
2019-10-07 | 475463001 | 0.709 ppm |
2019-10-07 | 475463001 | 0.760 ppm |
2019-11-04 | 480018001 | 0.682 ppm |
2019-11-04 | 480018001 | 0.740 ppm |
2019-12-02 | 484580001 | 0.682 ppm |
2019-12-02 | 484580001 | 0.710 ppm |