Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Marianna Waterworks

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
20180.732 ppm13130.510 ppm - 0.870 ppm
20190.766 ppm12120.670 ppm - 0.880 ppm
20200.761 ppm12120.680 ppm - 0.900 ppm
20210.745 ppm1312ND - 0.990 ppm
20220.700 ppm1211ND - 0.850 ppm
20230.717 ppm12120.570 ppm - 0.900 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
2018-01-10Y1801800560.610 ppm
2018-02-05Y1803700260.760 ppm
2018-02-20Y1805300810.650 ppm
2018-03-06Y1806600410.770 ppm
2018-04-03Y1809900310.780 ppm
2018-05-02Y1813000410.850 ppm
2018-06-06Y1816200310.700 ppm
2018-07-09Y1819700150.510 ppm
2018-08-07Y1822500250.720 ppm
2018-09-04Y1825300120.770 ppm
2018-10-03Y1828100080.760 ppm
2018-11-06Y1831700310.760 ppm
2018-12-05Y1834400350.870 ppm
2019-01-02Y1900700040.790 ppm
2019-02-04Y1904200090.840 ppm
2019-03-04Y1907000010.820 ppm
2019-04-05Y1909800330.820 ppm
2019-05-06Y1913300030.760 ppm
2019-06-05Y1916100540.760 ppm
2019-07-10Y1919600420.710 ppm
2019-08-05Y1922500130.710 ppm
2019-09-04Y1925400320.700 ppm
2019-10-08Y1928800140.730 ppm
2019-11-13Y1932200210.670 ppm
2019-12-18Y1935400240.880 ppm
2020-01-07Y2001200090.900 ppm
2020-02-03Y2004100310.820 ppm
2020-03-03Y2006900220.700 ppm
2020-04-13Y2011100120.680 ppm
2020-05-05Y2013300180.690 ppm
2020-06-02Y2016000100.690 ppm
2020-07-08Y2019500160.780 ppm
2020-08-03Y2021700020.830 ppm
2020-09-08Y2025300070.700 ppm
2020-10-05Y2028000080.780 ppm
2020-11-03Y2030900200.740 ppm
2020-12-10Y2034600040.820 ppm
2021-01-04Y2100500040.770 ppm
2021-01-18Y2102100040.990 ppm
2021-02-01Y2103300020.770 ppm
2021-03-03Y2106400040.780 ppm
2021-04-05Y2109600010.750 ppm
2021-05-05Y2112600040.830 ppm
2021-06-14Y2116600020.770 ppm
2021-07-06Y2118800110.860 ppm
2021-08-02Y2121500010.820 ppm
2021-09-08Y212520030ND
2021-10-05Y2127900100.760 ppm
2021-11-01Y2130600020.750 ppm
2021-12-08Y2134300210.830 ppm
2022-01-11Y220120012ND
2022-02-16Y2204800100.750 ppm
2022-03-02Y2206200730.820 ppm
2022-04-12Y2210300010.680 ppm
2022-05-02Y2212300080.850 ppm
2022-06-06Y2215800050.750 ppm
2022-07-12Y2219400030.760 ppm
2022-08-12Y2222500020.680 ppm
2022-09-08Y2225200010.800 ppm
2022-10-13Y2228700020.720 ppm
2022-11-08Y2231300400.770 ppm
2022-12-08Y2234300010.820 ppm
2023-01-11Y2301300070.800 ppm
2023-02-09Y2304100040.810 ppm
2023-03-09Y2306900060.690 ppm
2023-04-11Y2310200020.720 ppm
2023-05-04Y2312500190.680 ppm
2023-06-06Y2315800050.570 ppm
2023-07-11Y2319300070.660 ppm
2023-08-15Y2322800010.680 ppm
2023-09-18Y2326200030.630 ppm
2023-10-04Y2327800010.680 ppm
2023-11-15Y2332000100.900 ppm
2023-12-05Y2334000040.780 ppm