Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Lewes Board Of Public Works

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.

 

80

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.835 ppm13130.725 ppm - 1.000 ppm
20190.820 ppm13130.721 ppm - 0.915 ppm
20200.790 ppm13130.401 ppm - 0.974 ppm
20210.735 ppm11110.637 ppm - 0.892 ppm
20220.269 ppm136ND - 0.754 ppm
20230.703 ppm17170.486 ppm - 0.839 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
2018-01-09S5912420.860 ppm
2018-02-13S5357000.910 ppm
2018-03-13S5357041.000 ppm
2018-04-10S5357080.861 ppm
2018-05-01S5356730.746 ppm
2018-06-05S5356790.725 ppm
2018-07-03S2971350.770 ppm
2018-08-07S5357460.830 ppm
2018-08-28S7925540.754 ppm
2018-09-04S5357570.878 ppm
2018-10-09S8129970.855 ppm
2018-11-07S8130030.876 ppm
2018-12-04S5357580.795 ppm
2019-01-08S5357620.915 ppm
2019-02-05S5357660.819 ppm
2019-03-05S5357700.736 ppm
2019-04-02S5357290.784 ppm
2019-05-07S5357330.748 ppm
2019-05-21S8834470.721 ppm
2019-06-04S5357740.740 ppm
2019-07-09S5357850.782 ppm
2019-08-06S5357210.892 ppm
2019-09-03S2971470.885 ppm
2019-10-15S3885550.893 ppm
2019-11-12S3885590.882 ppm
2019-12-13S3885630.865 ppm
2020-01-14S3885670.835 ppm
2020-02-11S2971590.892 ppm
2020-03-10S9435400.902 ppm
2020-03-10S2971630.881 ppm
2020-04-14S2971680.401 ppm
2020-05-05S2971720.664 ppm
2020-06-02S2971830.764 ppm
2020-07-07S2971940.814 ppm
2020-08-05S2972060.631 ppm
2020-09-01S2972170.803 ppm
2020-10-13S2972250.874 ppm
2020-11-10S2972290.974 ppm
2020-12-08S2972330.831 ppm
2021-01-12S2972370.845 ppm
2021-02-10S2972410.814 ppm
2021-03-09S2972450.892 ppm
2021-05-04S2972530.768 ppm
2021-06-01S2972640.745 ppm
2021-07-06S2972750.693 ppm
2021-08-03S2972910.637 ppm
2021-09-07S2973130.724 ppm
2021-10-26S11177860.657 ppm
2021-11-09S2973300.660 ppm
2021-12-14S2973360.647 ppm
2022-01-11S2973420.674 ppm
2022-02-08S2973480.435 ppm
2022-03-08S2973540.666 ppm
2022-04-12S297360ND
2022-05-03S297366ND
2022-06-07S297302ND
2022-07-05S388540ND
2022-08-02S3885510.745 ppm
2022-08-29S12167990.754 ppm
2022-09-07S388488ND
2022-10-11S3884990.226 ppm
2022-11-16S388511ND
2022-12-13S388512ND
2023-01-10S3885180.709 ppm
2023-02-14S3885240.634 ppm
2023-03-14S3885300.705 ppm
2023-04-11S12829200.667 ppm
2023-04-11S3885360.548 ppm
2023-05-02S3885720.796 ppm
2023-05-16S3885780.786 ppm
2023-06-20S3885880.779 ppm
2023-07-05S3885940.708 ppm
2023-07-18S12718270.689 ppm
2023-08-01S12718330.486 ppm
2023-08-15S12718390.839 ppm
2023-09-05S12718450.748 ppm
2023-09-19S12718510.680 ppm
2023-10-10S12718570.646 ppm
2023-11-14S12718630.760 ppm
2023-12-12S12718690.779 ppm