Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Ellsworth 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.

 

78

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.638 ppm13130.600 ppm - 0.700 ppm
20190.629 ppm13130.530 ppm - 0.700 ppm
20200.652 ppm13130.570 ppm - 0.740 ppm
20210.610 ppm13130.210 ppm - 0.750 ppm
20220.626 ppm13130.480 ppm - 0.870 ppm
20230.564 ppm13130.500 ppm - 0.730 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
2018-01-251800294-010.600 ppm
2018-02-131802057-010.700 ppm
2018-03-191803447-010.600 ppm
2018-03-221803956-010.600 ppm
2018-04-181806054-010.600 ppm
2018-05-221808308-010.600 ppm
2018-06-181810612-010.600 ppm
2018-07-171812700-010.700 ppm
2018-08-221815740-010.600 ppm
2018-09-181817845-010.600 ppm
2018-10-241819457-010.700 ppm
2018-11-271821921-010.700 ppm
2018-12-191823451-010.700 ppm
2019-01-241900191-010.700 ppm
2019-02-211902048-010.700 ppm
2019-03-251903234-010.700 ppm
2019-04-091904-01176-0010.620 ppm
2019-04-091904-01176-0020.590 ppm
2019-05-161905-02221-0010.630 ppm
2019-06-181906-02688-0010.640 ppm
2019-07-161907-02311-0010.530 ppm
2019-08-151908-02354-0010.580 ppm
2019-09-181909-02528-0010.550 ppm
2019-10-161911-00442-0010.660 ppm
2019-11-121911-01285-0010.600 ppm
2019-12-121912-01289-0010.680 ppm
2020-01-132001-01343-0010.680 ppm
2020-02-112002-01012-0010.650 ppm
2020-03-102003-02062-0030.680 ppm
2020-03-182003-02062-0020.670 ppm
2020-04-152004-01387-0010.690 ppm
2020-05-112005-01132-0010.650 ppm
2020-06-172006-02588-0010.600 ppm
2020-07-222007-03793-0010.740 ppm
2020-08-122008-02514-0010.670 ppm
2020-09-162009-02532-0010.720 ppm
2020-10-222010-03360-0010.570 ppm
2020-11-122011-01686-0010.580 ppm
2020-12-082012-01427-0010.570 ppm
2021-01-122101-01525-0010.680 ppm
2021-02-102102-01124-0010.650 ppm
2021-03-092103-01216-0010.580 ppm
2021-03-092103-01215-0010.610 ppm
2021-04-142104-02356-0010.610 ppm
2021-05-192105-03035-0010.660 ppm
2021-06-072106-01274-0010.750 ppm
2021-07-132107-01974-0010.630 ppm
2021-08-182108-03572-0010.210 ppm
2021-09-092109-01596-0010.670 ppm
2021-10-072110-01408-0010.730 ppm
2021-11-162111-02564-0010.640 ppm
2021-12-142112-02236-0010.510 ppm
2022-01-192201-02412-0010.570 ppm
2022-02-242202-03334-0010.870 ppm
2022-03-292203-04030-0010.560 ppm
2022-03-292203-04028-0010.480 ppm
2022-04-072204-01319-0010.570 ppm
2022-05-102205-01764-0010.560 ppm
2022-06-092206-01886-0010.620 ppm
2022-07-132207-02896-0010.620 ppm
2022-08-182208-04393-0010.650 ppm
2022-09-272209-05952-0010.710 ppm
2022-10-122210-02576-0010.740 ppm
2022-11-292211-05309-0010.630 ppm
2022-12-132212-02566-0010.560 ppm
2023-01-192301-03460-0010.530 ppm
2023-02-162302-03127-0010.570 ppm
2023-03-092303-01900-0010.610 ppm
2023-03-302303-05390-0020.550 ppm
2023-04-242304-04736-0010.500 ppm
2023-05-042305-01207-0010.520 ppm
2023-06-142306-03516-0010.500 ppm
2023-07-132307-02722-0010.500 ppm
2023-08-172308-04433-0010.500 ppm
2023-09-152309-03963-0010.540 ppm
2023-10-112310-03070-0010.730 ppm
2023-11-092311-02051-0010.680 ppm
2023-12-072312-01359-0010.600 ppm