Fluoride
Jefferson Water Department
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.
Samples
Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)
Samples exceeding
health guidelines
Testing results - average by year
| Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 0.660 ppm | 12 | 12 | 0.496 ppm - 0.901 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.634 ppm | 12 | 12 | 0.509 ppm - 0.930 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.577 ppm | 12 | 12 | 0.462 ppm - 0.668 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.541 ppm | 11 | 11 | 0.460 ppm - 0.627 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.633 ppm | 13 | 13 | 0.506 ppm - 0.777 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.701 ppm | 11 | 11 | 0.567 ppm - 0.808 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-01-10 | BF61754 | 0.648 ppm |
| 2018-02-13 | BF77690 | 0.775 ppm |
| 2018-03-14 | BF91378 | 0.786 ppm |
| 2018-04-16 | BG24102 | 0.575 ppm |
| 2018-05-09 | BG55374 | 0.496 ppm |
| 2018-06-13 | BH11453 | 0.583 ppm |
| 2018-07-11 | BH43267 | 0.901 ppm |
| 2018-08-08 | BH77139 | 0.617 ppm |
| 2018-09-12 | BI09428 | 0.575 ppm |
| 2018-10-10 | BI48461 | 0.656 ppm |
| 2018-11-14 | BJ89149 | 0.692 ppm |
| 2018-12-11 | BK77350 | 0.620 ppm |
| 2019-01-09 | BL04269 | 0.663 ppm |
| 2019-02-13 | BL25345 | 0.762 ppm |
| 2019-03-13 | BL37796 | 0.749 ppm |
| 2019-04-09 | OE794345 | 0.930 ppm |
| 2019-05-09 | BM31628 | 0.598 ppm |
| 2019-06-12 | BM67924 | 0.513 ppm |
| 2019-07-10 | BP05968 | 0.566 ppm |
| 2019-08-14 | BP44346 | 0.547 ppm |
| 2019-09-11 | BP69849 | 0.648 ppm |
| 2019-10-10 | BQ00665 | 0.509 ppm |
| 2019-11-13 | BR36960 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2019-12-11 | BS38343 | 0.526 ppm |
| 2020-01-07 | BS73257 | 0.571 ppm |
| 2020-02-12 | BS97279 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2020-03-11 | BU16022 | 0.628 ppm |
| 2020-04-08 | BU54493 | 0.561 ppm |
| 2020-05-13 | BV26481 | 0.668 ppm |
| 2020-06-10 | BV62011 | 0.543 ppm |
| 2020-07-08 | BV94692 | 0.610 ppm |
| 2020-08-13 | BW20816 | 0.608 ppm |
| 2020-09-09 | BW45209 | 0.604 ppm |
| 2020-10-08 | BX16857 | 0.462 ppm |
| 2020-11-11 | BY91969 | 0.558 ppm |
| 2020-12-09 | BZ96463 | 0.513 ppm |
| 2021-01-13 | CA48137 | 0.460 ppm |
| 2021-02-11 | CA62889 | 0.627 ppm |
| 2021-03-10 | CA76073 | 0.484 ppm |
| 2021-04-14 | CB17399 | 0.534 ppm |
| 2021-05-12 | CB59744 | 0.488 ppm |
| 2021-06-09 | CB99956 | 0.570 ppm |
| 2021-07-14 | CC47228 | 0.510 ppm |
| 2021-08-11 | CC66761 | 0.556 ppm |
| 2021-09-08 | CC89145 | 0.609 ppm |
| 2021-11-10 | CE73978 | 0.500 ppm |
| 2021-12-08 | CF74373 | 0.613 ppm |
| 2022-01-12 | CG22829 | 0.506 ppm |
| 2022-02-09 | CG37152 | 0.566 ppm |
| 2022-03-09 | CG52958 | 0.533 ppm |
| 2022-04-13 | CG85818 | 0.734 ppm |
| 2022-05-11 | CH30776 | 0.583 ppm |
| 2022-05-18 | 1FE2045-02 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2022-06-08 | CH78965 | 0.777 ppm |
| 2022-07-13 | CI40547 | 0.567 ppm |
| 2022-08-10 | CI70175 | 0.645 ppm |
| 2022-09-14 | CJ03876 | 0.559 ppm |
| 2022-10-12 | CJ77284 | 0.631 ppm |
| 2022-11-09 | CL36561 | 0.656 ppm |
| 2022-12-14 | CM79674 | 0.776 ppm |
| 2023-02-08 | CN20554 | 0.808 ppm |
| 2023-03-08 | CN37760 | 0.788 ppm |
| 2023-04-12 | CN76634 | 0.747 ppm |
| 2023-05-10 | CO44970 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2023-06-14 | CP10735 | 0.788 ppm |
| 2023-07-12 | CP48549 | 0.663 ppm |
| 2023-08-09 | CP73953 | 0.586 ppm |
| 2023-09-13 | CQ06162 | 0.567 ppm |
| 2023-10-11 | CQ78563 | 0.654 ppm |
| 2023-11-08 | CS36100 | 0.645 ppm |
| 2023-12-13 | CT99809 | 0.730 ppm |