Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Coast Springs - Cal. Water Service (puc)

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.

 

59

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.114 ppm108ND - 0.190 ppm
20190.119 ppm108ND - 0.190 ppm
20200.133 ppm108ND - 0.240 ppm
20210.137 ppm108ND - 0.260 ppm
20220.119 ppm107ND - 0.210 ppm
20230.139 ppm98ND - 0.190 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
2018-06-26CA2110007_001_001-2018062612300.120 ppm
2018-07-16CA2110007_007_007-201807161155ND
2018-07-16CA2110007_006_006-2018071611250.110 ppm
2018-07-16CA2110007_008_008-201807161220ND
2018-07-23CA2110007_004_004-2018072312100.190 ppm
2018-07-23CA2110007_003_003-2018072311500.130 ppm
2018-07-26CA2110007_016_016-2018072611550.140 ppm
2018-07-26CA2110007_005_005-2018072611400.120 ppm
2018-08-06CA2110007_010_010-2018080611050.190 ppm
2018-08-06CA2110007_002_002-2018080610450.140 ppm
2019-06-12CA2110007_001_001-2019061212450.110 ppm
2019-06-17CA2110007_003_003-2019061711000.190 ppm
2019-06-17CA2110007_002_002-2019061710450.170 ppm
2019-07-08CA2110007_005_005-2019070813400.120 ppm
2019-08-01CA2110007_010_010-2019080110400.150 ppm
2019-08-12CA2110007_016_016-2019081210250.120 ppm
2019-10-07CA2110007_004_004-2019100711050.180 ppm
2019-10-07CA2110007_008_008-2019100710200.150 ppm
2019-10-07CA2110007_006_006-201910071035ND
2019-10-07CA2110007_007_007-201910071000ND
2020-06-15CA2110007_005_005-2020061510400.120 ppm
2020-06-15CA2110007_001_001-202006151120ND
2020-06-15CA2110007_008_008-2020061509450.170 ppm
2020-06-15CA2110007_007_007-2020061510000.170 ppm
2020-06-18CA2110007_016_016-2020061810000.120 ppm
2020-06-24CA2110007_002_002-2020062412450.190 ppm
2020-06-24CA2110007_003_003-202006241140ND
2020-06-24CA2110007_004_004-2020062412000.140 ppm
2020-07-14CA2110007_010_010-2020071410500.180 ppm
2020-10-05CA2110007_006_006-2020100507300.240 ppm
2021-06-14CA2110007_002_002-2021061411550.190 ppm
2021-06-14CA2110007_006_006-2021061412250.260 ppm
2021-06-14CA2110007_004_004-2021061412100.210 ppm
2021-06-14CA2110007_001_001-2021061411100.1000 ppm
2021-06-22CA2110007_005_005-202106221035ND
2021-06-22CA2110007_008_008-2021062210100.150 ppm
2021-06-22CA2110007_016_016-202106221100ND
2021-07-01CA2110007_007_007-2021070111550.130 ppm
2021-07-06CA2110007_003_003-2021070609500.150 ppm
2021-07-06CA2110007_010_010-2021070609000.180 ppm
2022-06-13CA2110007_001_001-202206131150ND
2022-06-14CA2110007_005_005-202206141215ND
2022-06-14CA2110007_006_006-2022061410100.200 ppm
2022-06-14CA2110007_016_016-202206141225ND
2022-06-14CA2110007_007_007-2022061410500.210 ppm
2022-06-14CA2110007_002_002-2022061411450.140 ppm
2022-06-28CA2110007_008_008-2022062811300.130 ppm
2022-07-19CA2110007_004_004-2022071910450.180 ppm
2022-07-19CA2110007_010_010-2022071912100.180 ppm
2022-07-19CA2110007_003_003-2022071911000.150 ppm
2023-06-06CA2110007_001_001-2023060611400.110 ppm
2023-06-19CA2110007_016_016-202306191000ND
2023-06-19CA2110007_005_005-2023061909300.110 ppm
2023-06-21CA2110007_007_007-2023062109300.150 ppm
2023-06-21CA2110007_006_006-2023062109000.190 ppm
2023-06-22CA2110007_008_008-2023062211300.170 ppm
2023-06-27CA2110007_004_004-2023062709300.190 ppm
2023-06-28CA2110007_002_002-2023062809450.170 ppm
2023-07-18CA2110007_010_010-2023071811400.160 ppm