Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Crossett Water Commission

Fluoride occurs naturally in surface and groundwater and is also added to drinking water by many water systems to prevent cavities and support oral health in people.

In 2015, the Department of Health and Human Services updated its recommendation of an optimal level of 0.7 parts per million, or ppm, added to drinking water based on the health benefits of tooth decay prevention. Studies have shown that fluoride added to community water systems at this level reduces dental cavities, especially in children.

And studies have conclusively shown that fluoride in toothpaste and mouthwash can also provide these benefits. Read More.

Health Concerns

Although the HHS-recommended level of 0.7 ppm can help promote oral health in children and adults, this level is likely too high for bottle-fed babies. EWG recommends that caregivers mix baby formula with fluoride-free water.

And fluoride in water at higher levels can be detrimental for everyone, especially children.

Long-term ingestion of higher levels of fluoride in water increases dental fluorosis, which includes mottling, pitting and weakening of the teeth in children.

A 2024 authoritative assessment by the National Toxicology Program found that higher levels of fluoride exposure, such as drinking water containing more than 1.5 ppm of fluoride, are associated with lower IQ in children. The conclusion was based on studies in human populations outside of the U.S.

Affecting systems with naturally occurring fluoride, 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 fracture. But these effects may occur at lower levels of exposure, raising concerns that the current limit may not adequately protect public health.

 

74

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.618 ppm12120.400 ppm - 0.940 ppm
20190.748 ppm13130.580 ppm - 1.01 ppm
20200.746 ppm12120.570 ppm - 0.910 ppm
20210.684 ppm12120.510 ppm - 0.950 ppm
20220.746 ppm13130.580 ppm - 0.860 ppm
20230.745 ppm12120.330 ppm - 0.980 ppm

ppm = parts per million

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL): 4 ppm

ppm = parts per million

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2018-01-08Y1801800600.640 ppm
2018-02-17Y1805700110.520 ppm
2018-03-07Y1807200240.490 ppm
2018-04-15Y1811300190.940 ppm
2018-05-07Y1813400160.580 ppm
2018-06-04Y1816200100.420 ppm
2018-07-02Y1819000100.740 ppm
2018-08-01Y1821900230.400 ppm
2018-09-07Y1826100210.610 ppm
2018-10-04Y1828900130.610 ppm
2018-11-01Y1831700060.590 ppm
2018-12-03Y1834400310.870 ppm
2019-01-01Y1900700090.940 ppm
2019-01-15Y1901700010.730 ppm
2019-02-01Y1904200310.690 ppm
2019-03-04Y1907000580.860 ppm
2019-04-01Y1909800060.810 ppm
2019-05-03Y1913300021.01 ppm
2019-06-05Y1916100680.620 ppm
2019-07-03Y1918900120.730 ppm
2019-08-01Y1921700180.580 ppm
2019-09-03Y1925400110.600 ppm
2019-10-03Y1928800450.860 ppm
2019-11-04Y1931800140.630 ppm
2019-12-02Y1934300050.660 ppm
2020-01-02Y2000700090.580 ppm
2020-02-12Y2004900020.800 ppm
2020-03-06Y2008300310.750 ppm
2020-04-06Y2010500130.570 ppm
2020-05-06Y2014100160.740 ppm
2020-06-02Y2016700150.800 ppm
2020-07-15Y2020300240.770 ppm
2020-08-03Y2022400270.680 ppm
2020-09-15Y2026100720.910 ppm
2020-10-05Y2028300190.620 ppm
2020-11-02Y2030900100.820 ppm
2020-12-02Y2034000090.910 ppm
2021-01-05Y2100800100.680 ppm
2021-02-01Y2103500840.610 ppm
2021-03-02Y2106400350.950 ppm
2021-04-05Y2109900030.540 ppm
2021-05-03Y2112600030.510 ppm
2021-06-02Y2115900050.730 ppm
2021-07-06Y2119000030.560 ppm
2021-08-04Y2121800790.670 ppm
2021-09-01Y2124600020.810 ppm
2021-10-04Y2127900230.710 ppm
2021-11-08Y2132200290.710 ppm
2021-12-02Y2134100070.730 ppm
2022-01-04Y2200700070.600 ppm
2022-02-01Y2203800160.590 ppm
2022-02-09Y2204100020.780 ppm
2022-03-02Y2206800180.780 ppm
2022-04-04Y2209800010.750 ppm
2022-05-02Y2212900060.580 ppm
2022-06-02Y2215900020.760 ppm
2022-07-01Y2218800140.780 ppm
2022-08-01Y2221600760.850 ppm
2022-09-01Y2225000120.860 ppm
2022-10-03Y2227900790.810 ppm
2022-11-01Y2231800020.850 ppm
2022-12-02Y2234000240.710 ppm
2023-01-04Y2301000160.870 ppm
2023-02-01Y2304000060.330 ppm
2023-03-01Y2306800410.980 ppm
2023-04-03Y2310000230.960 ppm
2023-05-01Y2312300070.880 ppm
2023-06-01Y2315600240.810 ppm
2023-07-10Y2319900990.840 ppm
2023-08-01Y2321600120.440 ppm
2023-09-06Y2325500120.610 ppm
2023-10-02Y2327900030.780 ppm
2023-11-06Y2331300100.760 ppm
2023-12-05Y2334700150.680 ppm