Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

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.

 

71

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.660 ppm12120.496 ppm - 0.901 ppm
20190.634 ppm12120.509 ppm - 0.930 ppm
20200.577 ppm12120.462 ppm - 0.668 ppm
20210.541 ppm11110.460 ppm - 0.627 ppm
20220.633 ppm13130.506 ppm - 0.777 ppm
20230.701 ppm11110.567 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
2018-01-10BF617540.648 ppm
2018-02-13BF776900.775 ppm
2018-03-14BF913780.786 ppm
2018-04-16BG241020.575 ppm
2018-05-09BG553740.496 ppm
2018-06-13BH114530.583 ppm
2018-07-11BH432670.901 ppm
2018-08-08BH771390.617 ppm
2018-09-12BI094280.575 ppm
2018-10-10BI484610.656 ppm
2018-11-14BJ891490.692 ppm
2018-12-11BK773500.620 ppm
2019-01-09BL042690.663 ppm
2019-02-13BL253450.762 ppm
2019-03-13BL377960.749 ppm
2019-04-09OE7943450.930 ppm
2019-05-09BM316280.598 ppm
2019-06-12BM679240.513 ppm
2019-07-10BP059680.566 ppm
2019-08-14BP443460.547 ppm
2019-09-11BP698490.648 ppm
2019-10-10BQ006650.509 ppm
2019-11-13BR369600.600 ppm
2019-12-11BS383430.526 ppm
2020-01-07BS732570.571 ppm
2020-02-12BS972790.600 ppm
2020-03-11BU160220.628 ppm
2020-04-08BU544930.561 ppm
2020-05-13BV264810.668 ppm
2020-06-10BV620110.543 ppm
2020-07-08BV946920.610 ppm
2020-08-13BW208160.608 ppm
2020-09-09BW452090.604 ppm
2020-10-08BX168570.462 ppm
2020-11-11BY919690.558 ppm
2020-12-09BZ964630.513 ppm
2021-01-13CA481370.460 ppm
2021-02-11CA628890.627 ppm
2021-03-10CA760730.484 ppm
2021-04-14CB173990.534 ppm
2021-05-12CB597440.488 ppm
2021-06-09CB999560.570 ppm
2021-07-14CC472280.510 ppm
2021-08-11CC667610.556 ppm
2021-09-08CC891450.609 ppm
2021-11-10CE739780.500 ppm
2021-12-08CF743730.613 ppm
2022-01-12CG228290.506 ppm
2022-02-09CG371520.566 ppm
2022-03-09CG529580.533 ppm
2022-04-13CG858180.734 ppm
2022-05-11CH307760.583 ppm
2022-05-181FE2045-020.700 ppm
2022-06-08CH789650.777 ppm
2022-07-13CI405470.567 ppm
2022-08-10CI701750.645 ppm
2022-09-14CJ038760.559 ppm
2022-10-12CJ772840.631 ppm
2022-11-09CL365610.656 ppm
2022-12-14CM796740.776 ppm
2023-02-08CN205540.808 ppm
2023-03-08CN377600.788 ppm
2023-04-12CN766340.747 ppm
2023-05-10CO449700.740 ppm
2023-06-14CP107350.788 ppm
2023-07-12CP485490.663 ppm
2023-08-09CP739530.586 ppm
2023-09-13CQ061620.567 ppm
2023-10-11CQ785630.654 ppm
2023-11-08CS361000.645 ppm
2023-12-13CT998090.730 ppm