Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Marked Tree 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.

 

75

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.664 ppm1311ND - 0.990 ppm
20190.631 ppm1312ND - 0.810 ppm
20200.798 ppm12120.410 ppm - 1.20 ppm
20211.08 ppm1211ND - 1.54 ppm
20220.748 ppm1311ND - 1.17 ppm
20230.803 ppm1211ND - 1.29 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
2018-01-22Y180240008ND
2018-02-13Y1805200240.990 ppm
2018-03-12Y1807200320.890 ppm
2018-04-10Y1810700170.660 ppm
2018-05-08Y1813400180.820 ppm
2018-06-05Y1816200150.780 ppm
2018-07-09Y1819700170.820 ppm
2018-08-06Y1822500070.810 ppm
2018-09-10Y1826100240.590 ppm
2018-09-18Y182670004ND
2018-10-15Y1829500050.640 ppm
2018-11-13Y1832400210.730 ppm
2018-12-26Y1836500010.900 ppm
2019-01-08Y190140027ND
2019-02-12Y1905000430.810 ppm
2019-03-18Y1908400060.590 ppm
2019-04-09Y1910500180.710 ppm
2019-05-13Y1914000140.690 ppm
2019-06-11Y1916800160.650 ppm
2019-07-16Y1920300090.660 ppm
2019-08-13Y1923200230.660 ppm
2019-08-20Y1923400010.750 ppm
2019-09-11Y1925900120.780 ppm
2019-10-07Y1928800510.660 ppm
2019-11-12Y1932200350.490 ppm
2019-12-09Y1934700420.750 ppm
2020-01-07Y2001200070.830 ppm
2020-02-18Y2005500890.960 ppm
2020-03-09Y2007700110.750 ppm
2020-04-07Y2010600190.730 ppm
2020-05-05Y2013300190.610 ppm
2020-06-08Y2016100060.600 ppm
2020-07-14Y2020300080.680 ppm
2020-08-17Y2023100320.880 ppm
2020-09-14Y2025900070.930 ppm
2020-10-12Y2028700010.410 ppm
2020-11-16Y2032400011.000 ppm
2020-12-08Y2034400011.20 ppm
2021-01-19Y2102000051.000 ppm
2021-02-23Y210550003ND
2021-03-15Y2107500011.54 ppm
2021-04-12Y2110300061.48 ppm
2021-05-11Y2113200041.30 ppm
2021-06-14Y2116600031.52 ppm
2021-07-13Y2119500080.900 ppm
2021-08-11Y2122400011.06 ppm
2021-09-15Y2125900051.03 ppm
2021-10-12Y2128600071.09 ppm
2021-11-16Y2132100040.780 ppm
2021-12-14Y2134900101.27 ppm
2022-01-11Y2201200111.17 ppm
2022-02-08Y2204000341.14 ppm
2022-03-21Y2208100011.07 ppm
2022-04-12Y2210300050.800 ppm
2022-05-17Y2213800130.970 ppm
2022-06-21Y2217300080.910 ppm
2022-07-20Y2220200441.01 ppm
2022-08-16Y222290001ND
2022-08-16Y2223000010.280 ppm
2022-09-28Y2227200010.740 ppm
2022-10-17Y2229100150.820 ppm
2022-11-15Y223200003ND
2022-12-14Y2234900020.820 ppm
2023-01-18Y2301900580.590 ppm
2023-02-13Y230450001ND
2023-03-21Y2308100011.19 ppm
2023-04-19Y2311100161.23 ppm
2023-05-22Y2314300050.130 ppm
2023-06-22Y2317400031.29 ppm
2023-07-25Y2320700020.930 ppm
2023-08-22Y2323500040.910 ppm
2023-09-19Y2326300010.670 ppm
2023-10-24Y2329800021.06 ppm
2023-11-14Y2331900040.840 ppm
2023-12-20Y2335500030.790 ppm