Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

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.

 

216

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.663 ppm11110.560 ppm - 0.695 ppm
20190.628 ppm12120.580 ppm - 0.699 ppm
20200.641 ppm26260.550 ppm - 0.733 ppm
20210.650 ppm56560.503 ppm - 0.751 ppm
20220.580 ppm54540.468 ppm - 0.724 ppm
20230.578 ppm57570.488 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
2018-02-01CSMFLUORFEB180.680 ppm
2018-03-01CSMMAR18FLUOR0.560 ppm
2018-04-01APRIL2018FLUORIDE0.670 ppm
2018-05-01MAY2018FLUORIDE0.690 ppm
2018-05-1518071702IOC-20180.687 ppm
2018-08-01CSMFLUORAUG180.680 ppm
2018-08-14181277090.695 ppm
2018-09-01CSFLUORSEP180.680 ppm
2018-10-01CSMFLUOROCT20180.680 ppm
2018-11-01CSMFLUORNOV180.630 ppm
2018-12-01CSMDEC19FLUOR0.640 ppm
2019-02-01CSMGFEB19FLUOR0.650 ppm
2019-03-01CSMFLUORMAR190.610 ppm
2019-04-01CSMAPRIL19FLUOR0.580 ppm
2019-05-01CSMFLUORMAY20190.690 ppm
2019-05-14190926-110.699 ppm
2019-06-01JUN19FLUORCSM0.680 ppm
2019-07-01CSMFLUORJUL190.630 ppm
2019-08-01CSMAUG2019FLUOR0.590 ppm
2019-09-01CSMFLUORSEPT190.620 ppm
2019-10-01CSMOCTFLUOR20190.610 ppm
2019-11-01CSMNOV2019FLUOR0.600 ppm
2019-12-01CSMDEC19FLUOR0.580 ppm
2020-01-01CSMJAN2020FLUOR0.610 ppm
2020-02-01CSMFEB20FLUOR0.580 ppm
2020-03-01CSMMAR2020FLUOR0.600 ppm
2020-04-01CSMFLUORAPR20200.550 ppm
2020-05-01CSMMAY20FLUOR0.610 ppm
2020-06-01CSMFLUORJUN20200.680 ppm
2020-07-07201306-19F0.632 ppm
2020-07-14201363-19F0.651 ppm
2020-07-21201417-19F0.670 ppm
2020-07-28201463-19F0.633 ppm
2020-08-04201520-19F0.647 ppm
2020-08-11201578-19F0.636 ppm
2020-08-11201579-07F0.646 ppm
2020-08-11201579-07IOC0.646 ppm
2020-08-18201627-19F0.676 ppm
2020-08-25201678-19F0.612 ppm
2020-09-01201724-19F0.631 ppm
2020-09-08201778-19F0.604 ppm
2020-09-15201831-19F0.682 ppm
2020-09-22201881-19F0.677 ppm
2020-09-29201934-19F0.643 ppm
2020-10-06201991-19F0.656 ppm
2020-10-13202042-19F0.733 ppm
2020-10-20202090-19F0.669 ppm
2020-12-22202470-19F0.607 ppm
2020-12-29202503-19F0.688 ppm
2021-01-05210021-19F0.694 ppm
2021-01-12210067-19F0.688 ppm
2021-01-19210108-19F0.560 ppm
2021-01-26210153-19F0.671 ppm
2021-02-02210198-19F0.643 ppm
2021-02-09210245-19F0.640 ppm
2021-02-18210297-19F0.656 ppm
2021-02-23210323-19F0.676 ppm
2021-03-02210362-19F0.613 ppm
2021-03-09210411-19F0.642 ppm
2021-03-16210448-19F0.610 ppm
2021-03-23210492-19F0.647 ppm
2021-03-30210543-19F0.650 ppm
2021-04-06210588-19F0.672 ppm
2021-04-13210643-19F0.705 ppm
2021-04-20210691-19F0.679 ppm
2021-04-27210737-19F0.621 ppm
2021-05-04210786-19F0.705 ppm
2021-05-11210832-19F0.690 ppm
2021-05-11210836-08F0.617 ppm
2021-05-11210836-08IOC0.617 ppm
2021-05-18210885-19F0.655 ppm
2021-05-25210934-19F0.653 ppm
2021-06-01210989-19FL0.654 ppm
2021-06-08211044-19FL0.681 ppm
2021-06-15211092-19FL0.698 ppm
2021-06-22211135-19FL0.703 ppm
2021-06-29211188-19FL0.689 ppm
2021-07-06211232-19F0.676 ppm
2021-07-13211293-19F0.665 ppm
2021-07-20211343-19F0.675 ppm
2021-07-27211397-19F0.683 ppm
2021-08-03211455-19F0.638 ppm
2021-08-10211507-10F0.643 ppm
2021-08-10211507-10IOC0.643 ppm
2021-08-10211513-19F0.648 ppm
2021-08-17211572-19F0.666 ppm
2021-08-24211624-19F0.622 ppm
2021-08-31211681-19F0.655 ppm
2021-09-07211732-19F0.645 ppm
2021-09-14211786-19F0.681 ppm
2021-09-21211843-19F0.751 ppm
2021-09-28211894-19F0.676 ppm
2021-10-05211954-19F0.503 ppm
2021-10-12212004-19F0.562 ppm
2021-10-19212058-19F0.553 ppm
2021-10-26212112-19F0.592 ppm
2021-11-02212165-19F0.619 ppm
2021-11-09212215-19F0.648 ppm
2021-11-16212257-19F0.655 ppm
2021-11-23212300-19F0.663 ppm
2021-11-30212329-19F0.658 ppm
2021-12-07212370-19F0.640 ppm
2021-12-14212413-19F0.638 ppm
2021-12-21212451-19F0.593 ppm
2021-12-28212488-19F0.656 ppm
2022-01-04220018-19F0.646 ppm
2022-01-11220062-19F0.699 ppm
2022-01-18220112-02F0.645 ppm
2022-01-25220151-19F0.595 ppm
2022-02-01220195-19F0.622 ppm
2022-02-08220235-19F0.644 ppm
2022-02-15220276-19F0.647 ppm
2022-02-22220319-19F0.724 ppm
2022-03-01220367-190.675 ppm
2022-03-08220414-190.648 ppm
2022-03-15220465-190.616 ppm
2022-03-22220507-190.620 ppm
2022-03-29220558-190.601 ppm
2022-04-05220607-190.621 ppm
2022-04-12220666-190.587 ppm
2022-04-19220711-190.549 ppm
2022-04-26220765-190.510 ppm
2022-05-03220811-19F0.552 ppm
2022-05-10220870-19F0.583 ppm
2022-05-10220873-04F0.558 ppm
2022-05-10220873-04IOC0.558 ppm
2022-05-17220925-19F0.599 ppm
2022-05-24220981-19F0.586 ppm
2022-05-31221027-19F0.576 ppm
2022-06-07221093-02F0.597 ppm
2022-06-14221141-19F0.584 ppm
2022-06-21221194-19F0.536 ppm
2022-06-28221246-19F0.553 ppm
2022-07-05221293-19F0.577 ppm
2022-07-12221357-19F0.536 ppm
2022-07-19221416-19F0.514 ppm
2022-07-26221478-02F0.543 ppm
2022-08-02221537-19F0.525 ppm
2022-08-09221594-19F0.549 ppm
2022-08-16221649-19F0.529 ppm
2022-08-23221704-19F0.535 ppm
2022-08-30221762-19F0.571 ppm
2022-09-06221809-19F0.468 ppm
2022-09-13221867-19F0.570 ppm
2022-09-20221918-19F0.614 ppm
2022-09-27221970-19F0.590 ppm
2022-10-04222020-19F0.567 ppm
2022-10-11222079-19F0.529 ppm
2022-10-18222137-19F0.538 ppm
2022-10-25222193-19F0.559 ppm
2022-11-01222249-19F0.538 ppm
2022-11-08222294-19F0.564 ppm
2022-11-15222346-19F0.513 ppm
2022-11-22222393-19F0.582 ppm
2022-11-29222428-19F0.581 ppm
2022-12-06222480-19F0.563 ppm
2022-12-13222526-19F0.576 ppm
2022-12-20222576-19F0.605 ppm
2022-12-27222617-19F0.568 ppm
2023-01-03230010-19F0.576 ppm
2023-01-10230060-19F0.561 ppm
2023-01-17230107-19F0.547 ppm
2023-01-24230157-19F0.547 ppm
2023-01-31230199-19F0.559 ppm
2023-02-07230249-19F0.578 ppm
2023-02-14230298-19F0.549 ppm
2023-02-21230344-19F0.517 ppm
2023-02-28230391-19F0.539 ppm
2023-03-07230436-19F0.575 ppm
2023-03-14230485-19F0.610 ppm
2023-03-21230525-19F0.613 ppm
2023-03-28230580-19AF0.571 ppm
2023-04-04230640-18F0.586 ppm
2023-04-11230694-18AF0.589 ppm
2023-04-11230694-18F0.552 ppm
2023-04-18230749-18F0.617 ppm
2023-04-25230807-18F0.623 ppm
2023-05-02230865-18F0.608 ppm
2023-05-09230926-18F0.606 ppm
2023-05-09230933-05F0.604 ppm
2023-05-16230995-18F0.653 ppm
2023-05-23231056-18F0.614 ppm
2023-05-30231109-18F0.632 ppm
2023-06-06231172-18F0.543 ppm
2023-06-13231222-18F0.608 ppm
2023-06-20231274-03F0.554 ppm
2023-06-27231330-18F0.565 ppm
2023-07-06231393-180.598 ppm
2023-07-11231429-180.618 ppm
2023-07-18231483-180.577 ppm
2023-07-25231538-180.607 ppm
2023-08-01231596-18F0.614 ppm
2023-08-08231651-18F0.609 ppm
2023-08-15231707-18F0.589 ppm
2023-08-15231719-08F0.576 ppm
2023-08-15231719-08IOC0.576 ppm
2023-08-15231719-08IOC20.576 ppm
2023-08-22231760-18F0.573 ppm
2023-08-29231814-18F0.572 ppm
2023-09-05231857-18F0.622 ppm
2023-09-12231917-18F0.569 ppm
2023-09-19231971-18F0.585 ppm
2023-09-26232025-18F0.561 ppm
2023-10-03232085-18F0.591 ppm
2023-10-10232146-18F0.565 ppm
2023-10-17232198-18F0.547 ppm
2023-10-24232252-18F0.600 ppm
2023-10-31232308-18F0.592 ppm
2023-11-07232353-18F0.554 ppm
2023-11-14232401-18F0.488 ppm
2023-11-21232465-18F0.497 ppm
2023-11-28232499-18F0.544 ppm
2023-12-05232540-18F0.600 ppm
2023-12-12232595-18F0.504 ppm
2023-12-19232639-18F0.531 ppm
2023-12-27232685-18F0.591 ppm