Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Box Springs Mutual Water Company

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.

 

72

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.620 ppm12120.430 ppm - 0.810 ppm
20190.519 ppm12120.340 ppm - 0.710 ppm
20200.482 ppm12120.430 ppm - 0.530 ppm
20210.505 ppm12120.470 ppm - 0.560 ppm
20220.490 ppm12120.380 ppm - 0.540 ppm
20230.514 ppm12120.450 ppm - 0.540 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
2018-01-02CA3310004_003_003-2018010214500.550 ppm
2018-02-02CA3310004_005_005-2018020208000.440 ppm
2018-03-05CA3310004_003_003-2018030509000.670 ppm
2018-04-04CA3310004_003_003-2018040409000.790 ppm
2018-05-01CA3310004_003_003-2018050114000.810 ppm
2018-06-06CA3310004_003_003-2018060611000.770 ppm
2018-07-09CA3310004_003_003-2018070911450.740 ppm
2018-08-07CA3310004_003_003-2018080714000.740 ppm
2018-09-04CA3310004_003_003-2018090410300.440 ppm
2018-10-02CA3310004_003_003-2018100211000.620 ppm
2018-11-06CA3310004_003_003-2018110612150.440 ppm
2018-11-06CA3310004_005_005-2018110612150.430 ppm
2019-01-02CA3310004_003_003-2019010209050.710 ppm
2019-02-05CA3310004_003_003-2019020509210.440 ppm
2019-03-05CA3310004_003_003-2019030509100.500 ppm
2019-04-02CA3310004_005_005-2019040209310.490 ppm
2019-05-07CA3310004_005_005-2019050708420.630 ppm
2019-07-02CA3310004_005_005-2019070208540.480 ppm
2019-08-05CA3310004_005_005-2019080508550.520 ppm
2019-08-13CA3310004_002_002-2019081309150.340 ppm
2019-09-03CA3310004_005_005-2019090308390.600 ppm
2019-10-01CA3310004_005_005-2019100109050.490 ppm
2019-11-05CA3310004_005_005-2019110509300.540 ppm
2019-12-03CA3310004_005_005-2019120308500.490 ppm
2020-01-07CA3310004_005_005-2020010708350.460 ppm
2020-02-04CA3310004_005_005-2020020409250.460 ppm
2020-03-03CA3310004_005_005-2020030308380.500 ppm
2020-04-08CA3310004_005_005-2020040808340.460 ppm
2020-05-05CA3310004_005_005-2020050509070.430 ppm
2020-06-02CA3310004_005_005-2020060208380.470 ppm
2020-07-07CA3310004_005_005-2020070708550.530 ppm
2020-08-04CA3310004_005_005-2020080408340.500 ppm
2020-09-01CA3310004_005_005-2020090109180.480 ppm
2020-10-05CA3310004_005_005-2020100509040.510 ppm
2020-11-03CA3310004_005_005-2020110308370.460 ppm
2020-12-01CA3310004_005_005-2020120108530.520 ppm
2021-01-05CA3310004_005_005-2021010509010.500 ppm
2021-02-02CA3310004_005_005-2021020209040.480 ppm
2021-03-02CA3310004_005_005-2021030208380.490 ppm
2021-04-06CA3310004_005_005-2021040609040.470 ppm
2021-05-04CA3310004_005_005-2021050408200.490 ppm
2021-06-01CA3310004_005_005-2021060108070.560 ppm
2021-07-06CA3310004_005_005-2021070608140.510 ppm
2021-08-03CA3310004_005_005-2021080308170.490 ppm
2021-09-07CA3310004_005_005-2021090708110.520 ppm
2021-10-05CA3310004_005_005-2021100508500.510 ppm
2021-11-02CA3310004_005_005-2021110208150.500 ppm
2021-12-07CA3310004_005_005-2021120706400.540 ppm
2022-01-03CA3310004_005_005-2022010308390.530 ppm
2022-02-01CA3310004_005_005-2022020108120.540 ppm
2022-03-01CA3310004_005_005-2022030108120.510 ppm
2022-04-05CA3310004_005_005-2022040508110.500 ppm
2022-05-03CA3310004_005_005-2022050308000.480 ppm
2022-06-07CA3310004_005_005-2022060707540.500 ppm
2022-07-05CA3310004_005_005-2022070508080.480 ppm
2022-08-02CA3310004_002_002-2022080209000.380 ppm
2022-08-02CA3310004_005_005-2022080208270.490 ppm
2022-09-07CA3310004_005_005-2022090708190.470 ppm
2022-10-04CA3310004_005_005-2022100408220.520 ppm
2022-11-01CA3310004_005_005-2022110107580.480 ppm
2023-01-03CA3310004_005_005-2023010308020.450 ppm
2023-02-06CA3310004_005_005-2023020608100.530 ppm
2023-03-07CA3310004_005_005-2023030708150.540 ppm
2023-04-04CA3310004_005_005-2023040408280.520 ppm
2023-05-01CA3310004_005_005-2023050108440.540 ppm
2023-06-05CA3310004_005_005-2023060509010.540 ppm
2023-07-03CA3310004_005_005-2023070308260.540 ppm
2023-08-01CA3310004_005_005-2023080108200.530 ppm
2023-09-05CA3310004_005_005-2023090508250.530 ppm
2023-10-02CA3310004_005_005-2023100208490.450 ppm
2023-11-06CA3310004_005_005-2023110608320.520 ppm
2023-12-04CA3310004_005_005-2023120408400.480 ppm