Fluoride
Southern Madison Utilities LLC
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 | 0.663 ppm | 11 | 11 | 0.560 ppm - 0.695 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.628 ppm | 12 | 12 | 0.580 ppm - 0.699 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.641 ppm | 26 | 26 | 0.550 ppm - 0.733 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.650 ppm | 56 | 56 | 0.503 ppm - 0.751 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.580 ppm | 54 | 54 | 0.468 ppm - 0.724 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.578 ppm | 57 | 57 | 0.488 ppm - 0.653 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-02-01 | CSMFLUORFEB18 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2018-03-01 | CSMMAR18FLUOR | 0.560 ppm |
| 2018-04-01 | APRIL2018FLUORIDE | 0.670 ppm |
| 2018-05-01 | MAY2018FLUORIDE | 0.690 ppm |
| 2018-05-15 | 18071702IOC-2018 | 0.687 ppm |
| 2018-08-01 | CSMFLUORAUG18 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2018-08-14 | 18127709 | 0.695 ppm |
| 2018-09-01 | CSFLUORSEP18 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2018-10-01 | CSMFLUOROCT2018 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2018-11-01 | CSMFLUORNOV18 | 0.630 ppm |
| 2018-12-01 | CSMDEC19FLUOR | 0.640 ppm |
| 2019-02-01 | CSMGFEB19FLUOR | 0.650 ppm |
| 2019-03-01 | CSMFLUORMAR19 | 0.610 ppm |
| 2019-04-01 | CSMAPRIL19FLUOR | 0.580 ppm |
| 2019-05-01 | CSMFLUORMAY2019 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2019-05-14 | 190926-11 | 0.699 ppm |
| 2019-06-01 | JUN19FLUORCSM | 0.680 ppm |
| 2019-07-01 | CSMFLUORJUL19 | 0.630 ppm |
| 2019-08-01 | CSMAUG2019FLUOR | 0.590 ppm |
| 2019-09-01 | CSMFLUORSEPT19 | 0.620 ppm |
| 2019-10-01 | CSMOCTFLUOR2019 | 0.610 ppm |
| 2019-11-01 | CSMNOV2019FLUOR | 0.600 ppm |
| 2019-12-01 | CSMDEC19FLUOR | 0.580 ppm |
| 2020-01-01 | CSMJAN2020FLUOR | 0.610 ppm |
| 2020-02-01 | CSMFEB20FLUOR | 0.580 ppm |
| 2020-03-01 | CSMMAR2020FLUOR | 0.600 ppm |
| 2020-04-01 | CSMFLUORAPR2020 | 0.550 ppm |
| 2020-05-01 | CSMMAY20FLUOR | 0.610 ppm |
| 2020-06-01 | CSMFLUORJUN2020 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2020-07-07 | 201306-19F | 0.632 ppm |
| 2020-07-14 | 201363-19F | 0.651 ppm |
| 2020-07-21 | 201417-19F | 0.670 ppm |
| 2020-07-28 | 201463-19F | 0.633 ppm |
| 2020-08-04 | 201520-19F | 0.647 ppm |
| 2020-08-11 | 201578-19F | 0.636 ppm |
| 2020-08-11 | 201579-07F | 0.646 ppm |
| 2020-08-11 | 201579-07IOC | 0.646 ppm |
| 2020-08-18 | 201627-19F | 0.676 ppm |
| 2020-08-25 | 201678-19F | 0.612 ppm |
| 2020-09-01 | 201724-19F | 0.631 ppm |
| 2020-09-08 | 201778-19F | 0.604 ppm |
| 2020-09-15 | 201831-19F | 0.682 ppm |
| 2020-09-22 | 201881-19F | 0.677 ppm |
| 2020-09-29 | 201934-19F | 0.643 ppm |
| 2020-10-06 | 201991-19F | 0.656 ppm |
| 2020-10-13 | 202042-19F | 0.733 ppm |
| 2020-10-20 | 202090-19F | 0.669 ppm |
| 2020-12-22 | 202470-19F | 0.607 ppm |
| 2020-12-29 | 202503-19F | 0.688 ppm |
| 2021-01-05 | 210021-19F | 0.694 ppm |
| 2021-01-12 | 210067-19F | 0.688 ppm |
| 2021-01-19 | 210108-19F | 0.560 ppm |
| 2021-01-26 | 210153-19F | 0.671 ppm |
| 2021-02-02 | 210198-19F | 0.643 ppm |
| 2021-02-09 | 210245-19F | 0.640 ppm |
| 2021-02-18 | 210297-19F | 0.656 ppm |
| 2021-02-23 | 210323-19F | 0.676 ppm |
| 2021-03-02 | 210362-19F | 0.613 ppm |
| 2021-03-09 | 210411-19F | 0.642 ppm |
| 2021-03-16 | 210448-19F | 0.610 ppm |
| 2021-03-23 | 210492-19F | 0.647 ppm |
| 2021-03-30 | 210543-19F | 0.650 ppm |
| 2021-04-06 | 210588-19F | 0.672 ppm |
| 2021-04-13 | 210643-19F | 0.705 ppm |
| 2021-04-20 | 210691-19F | 0.679 ppm |
| 2021-04-27 | 210737-19F | 0.621 ppm |
| 2021-05-04 | 210786-19F | 0.705 ppm |
| 2021-05-11 | 210832-19F | 0.690 ppm |
| 2021-05-11 | 210836-08F | 0.617 ppm |
| 2021-05-11 | 210836-08IOC | 0.617 ppm |
| 2021-05-18 | 210885-19F | 0.655 ppm |
| 2021-05-25 | 210934-19F | 0.653 ppm |
| 2021-06-01 | 210989-19FL | 0.654 ppm |
| 2021-06-08 | 211044-19FL | 0.681 ppm |
| 2021-06-15 | 211092-19FL | 0.698 ppm |
| 2021-06-22 | 211135-19FL | 0.703 ppm |
| 2021-06-29 | 211188-19FL | 0.689 ppm |
| 2021-07-06 | 211232-19F | 0.676 ppm |
| 2021-07-13 | 211293-19F | 0.665 ppm |
| 2021-07-20 | 211343-19F | 0.675 ppm |
| 2021-07-27 | 211397-19F | 0.683 ppm |
| 2021-08-03 | 211455-19F | 0.638 ppm |
| 2021-08-10 | 211507-10F | 0.643 ppm |
| 2021-08-10 | 211507-10IOC | 0.643 ppm |
| 2021-08-10 | 211513-19F | 0.648 ppm |
| 2021-08-17 | 211572-19F | 0.666 ppm |
| 2021-08-24 | 211624-19F | 0.622 ppm |
| 2021-08-31 | 211681-19F | 0.655 ppm |
| 2021-09-07 | 211732-19F | 0.645 ppm |
| 2021-09-14 | 211786-19F | 0.681 ppm |
| 2021-09-21 | 211843-19F | 0.751 ppm |
| 2021-09-28 | 211894-19F | 0.676 ppm |
| 2021-10-05 | 211954-19F | 0.503 ppm |
| 2021-10-12 | 212004-19F | 0.562 ppm |
| 2021-10-19 | 212058-19F | 0.553 ppm |
| 2021-10-26 | 212112-19F | 0.592 ppm |
| 2021-11-02 | 212165-19F | 0.619 ppm |
| 2021-11-09 | 212215-19F | 0.648 ppm |
| 2021-11-16 | 212257-19F | 0.655 ppm |
| 2021-11-23 | 212300-19F | 0.663 ppm |
| 2021-11-30 | 212329-19F | 0.658 ppm |
| 2021-12-07 | 212370-19F | 0.640 ppm |
| 2021-12-14 | 212413-19F | 0.638 ppm |
| 2021-12-21 | 212451-19F | 0.593 ppm |
| 2021-12-28 | 212488-19F | 0.656 ppm |
| 2022-01-04 | 220018-19F | 0.646 ppm |
| 2022-01-11 | 220062-19F | 0.699 ppm |
| 2022-01-18 | 220112-02F | 0.645 ppm |
| 2022-01-25 | 220151-19F | 0.595 ppm |
| 2022-02-01 | 220195-19F | 0.622 ppm |
| 2022-02-08 | 220235-19F | 0.644 ppm |
| 2022-02-15 | 220276-19F | 0.647 ppm |
| 2022-02-22 | 220319-19F | 0.724 ppm |
| 2022-03-01 | 220367-19 | 0.675 ppm |
| 2022-03-08 | 220414-19 | 0.648 ppm |
| 2022-03-15 | 220465-19 | 0.616 ppm |
| 2022-03-22 | 220507-19 | 0.620 ppm |
| 2022-03-29 | 220558-19 | 0.601 ppm |
| 2022-04-05 | 220607-19 | 0.621 ppm |
| 2022-04-12 | 220666-19 | 0.587 ppm |
| 2022-04-19 | 220711-19 | 0.549 ppm |
| 2022-04-26 | 220765-19 | 0.510 ppm |
| 2022-05-03 | 220811-19F | 0.552 ppm |
| 2022-05-10 | 220870-19F | 0.583 ppm |
| 2022-05-10 | 220873-04F | 0.558 ppm |
| 2022-05-10 | 220873-04IOC | 0.558 ppm |
| 2022-05-17 | 220925-19F | 0.599 ppm |
| 2022-05-24 | 220981-19F | 0.586 ppm |
| 2022-05-31 | 221027-19F | 0.576 ppm |
| 2022-06-07 | 221093-02F | 0.597 ppm |
| 2022-06-14 | 221141-19F | 0.584 ppm |
| 2022-06-21 | 221194-19F | 0.536 ppm |
| 2022-06-28 | 221246-19F | 0.553 ppm |
| 2022-07-05 | 221293-19F | 0.577 ppm |
| 2022-07-12 | 221357-19F | 0.536 ppm |
| 2022-07-19 | 221416-19F | 0.514 ppm |
| 2022-07-26 | 221478-02F | 0.543 ppm |
| 2022-08-02 | 221537-19F | 0.525 ppm |
| 2022-08-09 | 221594-19F | 0.549 ppm |
| 2022-08-16 | 221649-19F | 0.529 ppm |
| 2022-08-23 | 221704-19F | 0.535 ppm |
| 2022-08-30 | 221762-19F | 0.571 ppm |
| 2022-09-06 | 221809-19F | 0.468 ppm |
| 2022-09-13 | 221867-19F | 0.570 ppm |
| 2022-09-20 | 221918-19F | 0.614 ppm |
| 2022-09-27 | 221970-19F | 0.590 ppm |
| 2022-10-04 | 222020-19F | 0.567 ppm |
| 2022-10-11 | 222079-19F | 0.529 ppm |
| 2022-10-18 | 222137-19F | 0.538 ppm |
| 2022-10-25 | 222193-19F | 0.559 ppm |
| 2022-11-01 | 222249-19F | 0.538 ppm |
| 2022-11-08 | 222294-19F | 0.564 ppm |
| 2022-11-15 | 222346-19F | 0.513 ppm |
| 2022-11-22 | 222393-19F | 0.582 ppm |
| 2022-11-29 | 222428-19F | 0.581 ppm |
| 2022-12-06 | 222480-19F | 0.563 ppm |
| 2022-12-13 | 222526-19F | 0.576 ppm |
| 2022-12-20 | 222576-19F | 0.605 ppm |
| 2022-12-27 | 222617-19F | 0.568 ppm |
| 2023-01-03 | 230010-19F | 0.576 ppm |
| 2023-01-10 | 230060-19F | 0.561 ppm |
| 2023-01-17 | 230107-19F | 0.547 ppm |
| 2023-01-24 | 230157-19F | 0.547 ppm |
| 2023-01-31 | 230199-19F | 0.559 ppm |
| 2023-02-07 | 230249-19F | 0.578 ppm |
| 2023-02-14 | 230298-19F | 0.549 ppm |
| 2023-02-21 | 230344-19F | 0.517 ppm |
| 2023-02-28 | 230391-19F | 0.539 ppm |
| 2023-03-07 | 230436-19F | 0.575 ppm |
| 2023-03-14 | 230485-19F | 0.610 ppm |
| 2023-03-21 | 230525-19F | 0.613 ppm |
| 2023-03-28 | 230580-19AF | 0.571 ppm |
| 2023-04-04 | 230640-18F | 0.586 ppm |
| 2023-04-11 | 230694-18AF | 0.589 ppm |
| 2023-04-11 | 230694-18F | 0.552 ppm |
| 2023-04-18 | 230749-18F | 0.617 ppm |
| 2023-04-25 | 230807-18F | 0.623 ppm |
| 2023-05-02 | 230865-18F | 0.608 ppm |
| 2023-05-09 | 230926-18F | 0.606 ppm |
| 2023-05-09 | 230933-05F | 0.604 ppm |
| 2023-05-16 | 230995-18F | 0.653 ppm |
| 2023-05-23 | 231056-18F | 0.614 ppm |
| 2023-05-30 | 231109-18F | 0.632 ppm |
| 2023-06-06 | 231172-18F | 0.543 ppm |
| 2023-06-13 | 231222-18F | 0.608 ppm |
| 2023-06-20 | 231274-03F | 0.554 ppm |
| 2023-06-27 | 231330-18F | 0.565 ppm |
| 2023-07-06 | 231393-18 | 0.598 ppm |
| 2023-07-11 | 231429-18 | 0.618 ppm |
| 2023-07-18 | 231483-18 | 0.577 ppm |
| 2023-07-25 | 231538-18 | 0.607 ppm |
| 2023-08-01 | 231596-18F | 0.614 ppm |
| 2023-08-08 | 231651-18F | 0.609 ppm |
| 2023-08-15 | 231707-18F | 0.589 ppm |
| 2023-08-15 | 231719-08F | 0.576 ppm |
| 2023-08-15 | 231719-08IOC | 0.576 ppm |
| 2023-08-15 | 231719-08IOC2 | 0.576 ppm |
| 2023-08-22 | 231760-18F | 0.573 ppm |
| 2023-08-29 | 231814-18F | 0.572 ppm |
| 2023-09-05 | 231857-18F | 0.622 ppm |
| 2023-09-12 | 231917-18F | 0.569 ppm |
| 2023-09-19 | 231971-18F | 0.585 ppm |
| 2023-09-26 | 232025-18F | 0.561 ppm |
| 2023-10-03 | 232085-18F | 0.591 ppm |
| 2023-10-10 | 232146-18F | 0.565 ppm |
| 2023-10-17 | 232198-18F | 0.547 ppm |
| 2023-10-24 | 232252-18F | 0.600 ppm |
| 2023-10-31 | 232308-18F | 0.592 ppm |
| 2023-11-07 | 232353-18F | 0.554 ppm |
| 2023-11-14 | 232401-18F | 0.488 ppm |
| 2023-11-21 | 232465-18F | 0.497 ppm |
| 2023-11-28 | 232499-18F | 0.544 ppm |
| 2023-12-05 | 232540-18F | 0.600 ppm |
| 2023-12-12 | 232595-18F | 0.504 ppm |
| 2023-12-19 | 232639-18F | 0.531 ppm |
| 2023-12-27 | 232685-18F | 0.591 ppm |