Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Pittsfield 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.

 

218

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.518 ppm36360.440 ppm - 0.630 ppm
20190.454 ppm36360.400 ppm - 0.780 ppm
20200.446 ppm37370.390 ppm - 0.500 ppm
20210.428 ppm3630ND - 0.740 ppm
20220.562 ppm36360.450 ppm - 0.660 ppm
20230.604 ppm37370.450 ppm - 0.680 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
2018-01-232018-01-181DW.50.530 ppm
2018-01-232018-01-181DW.60.560 ppm
2018-01-232018-01-181DW.40.550 ppm
2018-02-152018-02-114DW.60.540 ppm
2018-02-152018-02-114DW.50.570 ppm
2018-02-152018-02-114DW.40.550 ppm
2018-03-222018-03-200DW.50.440 ppm
2018-03-222018-03-200DW.40.490 ppm
2018-03-222018-03-200DW.60.480 ppm
2018-04-122018-04-147DW.60.460 ppm
2018-04-122018-04-147DW.40.470 ppm
2018-04-122018-04-147DW.50.520 ppm
2018-05-232018-05-361DW.60.510 ppm
2018-05-232018-05-361DW.50.530 ppm
2018-05-232018-05-361DW.40.530 ppm
2018-06-212018-06-300DW.40.600 ppm
2018-06-212018-06-300DW.60.600 ppm
2018-06-212018-06-300DW.50.630 ppm
2018-07-192018-07-303DW.60.510 ppm
2018-07-192018-07-303DW.50.540 ppm
2018-07-192018-07-303DW.40.550 ppm
2018-08-242018-08-433DW.60.510 ppm
2018-08-242018-08-433DW.50.530 ppm
2018-08-242018-08-433DW.40.500 ppm
2018-09-262018-09-397DW.40.520 ppm
2018-09-262018-09-397DW.50.510 ppm
2018-09-262018-09-397DW.60.530 ppm
2018-10-242018-10-366DW.60.520 ppm
2018-10-242018-10-366DW.50.520 ppm
2018-10-242018-10-366DW.40.500 ppm
2018-11-142018-11-145DW.60.470 ppm
2018-11-142018-11-145DW.50.500 ppm
2018-11-142018-11-145DW.40.490 ppm
2018-12-142018-12-136DW.50.460 ppm
2018-12-142018-12-136DW.60.460 ppm
2018-12-142018-12-136DW.40.480 ppm
2019-01-292019-01-251DW.40.460 ppm
2019-01-292019-01-251DW.60.440 ppm
2019-01-292019-01-251DW.50.470 ppm
2019-02-252019-02-190DW.40.450 ppm
2019-02-252019-02-190DW.50.430 ppm
2019-02-252019-02-190DW.60.430 ppm
2019-03-202019-03-175DW.50.440 ppm
2019-03-202019-03-175DW.40.420 ppm
2019-03-212019-03-175DW.60.410 ppm
2019-04-232019-04-267DW.50.780 ppm
2019-04-232019-04-267DW.60.420 ppm
2019-04-232019-04-267DW.40.470 ppm
2019-05-222019-05-319DW.60.460 ppm
2019-05-222019-05-319DW.40.470 ppm
2019-05-222019-05-319DW.50.480 ppm
2019-06-052019-06-056DW.60.410 ppm
2019-06-052019-06-056DW.40.460 ppm
2019-06-052019-06-056DW.50.470 ppm
2019-07-102019-07-142DW.50.470 ppm
2019-07-102019-07-142DW.60.460 ppm
2019-07-102019-07-142DW.40.440 ppm
2019-08-082019-08-138DW.50.500 ppm
2019-08-082019-08-138DW.40.500 ppm
2019-08-082019-08-138DW.60.480 ppm
2019-09-052019-09-097DW.20.450 ppm
2019-09-052019-09-097DW.60.430 ppm
2019-09-052019-09-097DW.40.430 ppm
2019-10-092019-10-176DW.50.450 ppm
2019-10-092019-10-176DW.60.430 ppm
2019-10-092019-10-176DW.40.450 ppm
2019-11-062019-11-072DW.50.410 ppm
2019-11-062019-11-072DW.60.400 ppm
2019-11-062019-11-072DW.40.420 ppm
2019-12-052019-12-052DW.60.430 ppm
2019-12-052019-12-052DW.50.410 ppm
2019-12-052019-12-052DW.40.420 ppm
2020-01-082020-01-068DW.60.400 ppm
2020-01-082020-01-068DW.50.410 ppm
2020-01-082020-01-068DW.40.400 ppm
2020-02-122020-02-114DW.60.410 ppm
2020-02-122020-02-114DW.50.410 ppm
2020-02-122020-02-114DW.40.390 ppm
2020-03-112020-03-108DW.60.430 ppm
2020-03-112020-03-108DW.50.440 ppm
2020-03-112020-03-108DW.40.390 ppm
2020-04-082020-04-070DW.60.460 ppm
2020-04-082020-04-070DW.50.460 ppm
2020-04-082020-04-070DW.40.440 ppm
2020-05-062020-05-067DW.60.480 ppm
2020-05-062020-05-067DW.50.490 ppm
2020-05-062020-05-067DW.40.490 ppm
2020-06-152020-06-225DW.60.430 ppm
2020-06-152020-06-225DW.50.440 ppm
2020-06-152020-06-225DW.40.440 ppm
2020-07-072020-07-077DW.60.450 ppm
2020-07-072020-07-077DW.50.440 ppm
2020-07-072020-07-077DW.40.440 ppm
2020-08-062020-08-083DW.3-F0.440 ppm
2020-08-062020-08-083DW.2-F0.440 ppm
2020-08-062020-08-083DW.1-F0.440 ppm
2020-08-252015245-010.500 ppm
2020-09-102020-09-149DW.60.430 ppm
2020-09-102020-09-149DW.50.410 ppm
2020-09-102020-09-149DW.40.430 ppm
2020-10-062020-10-063DW.60.490 ppm
2020-10-062020-10-063DW.50.480 ppm
2020-10-062020-10-063DW.40.470 ppm
2020-11-172020-11-182DW.60.470 ppm
2020-11-172020-11-182DW.50.500 ppm
2020-11-172020-11-182DW.40.480 ppm
2020-12-152020-12-179DW.60.440 ppm
2020-12-152020-12-179DW.50.460 ppm
2020-12-152020-12-179DW.40.470 ppm
2021-01-132021-01-138DW.60.470 ppm
2021-01-132021-01-138DW.50.460 ppm
2021-01-132021-01-138DW.40.490 ppm
2021-02-172021-02-154DW.60.510 ppm
2021-02-172021-02-154DW.50.520 ppm
2021-02-172021-02-154DW.40.490 ppm
2021-03-102021-03-130DW.60.470 ppm
2021-03-102021-03-130DW.40.460 ppm
2021-03-102021-03-130DW.050.430 ppm
2021-04-142021-04-149DW.60.480 ppm
2021-04-142021-04-149DW.50.480 ppm
2021-04-142021-04-149DW.40.470 ppm
2021-05-052021-05-070DW.60.360 ppm
2021-05-052021-05-070DW.50.360 ppm
2021-05-052021-05-070DW.40.430 ppm
2021-06-092021-06-149DW.60.410 ppm
2021-06-092021-06-149DW.50.440 ppm
2021-06-092021-06-149DW.40.450 ppm
2021-07-142021-07-203DW.60.730 ppm
2021-07-142021-07-203DW.40.740 ppm
2021-07-142021-07-203DW.20.740 ppm
2021-08-042021-08-071DW.60.660 ppm
2021-08-042021-08-071DW.50.670 ppm
2021-08-042021-08-071DW.40.680 ppm
2021-09-082021-09-092DW.6ND
2021-09-082021-09-092DW.5ND
2021-09-082021-09-092DW.4ND
2021-10-132021-10-180DW.60.670 ppm
2021-10-132021-10-180DW.50.660 ppm
2021-10-132021-10-180DW.40.580 ppm
2021-11-102021-11-146DW.6ND
2021-11-102021-11-146DW.5ND
2021-11-102021-11-146DW.4ND
2021-12-152021-12-199DW.60.370 ppm
2021-12-152021-12-199DW.50.370 ppm
2021-12-152021-12-199DW.40.370 ppm
2022-01-24452200095C0.500 ppm
2022-01-24452200094C0.480 ppm
2022-01-24452200093C0.490 ppm
2022-02-16452200196C0.560 ppm
2022-02-16452200195C0.540 ppm
2022-02-16452200194C0.570 ppm
2022-03-09452200270C0.510 ppm
2022-03-09452200269C0.510 ppm
2022-03-09452200268C0.530 ppm
2022-04-06452200372C0.450 ppm
2022-04-06452200371C0.490 ppm
2022-04-06452200370C0.450 ppm
2022-05-11452200557C0.510 ppm
2022-05-11452200556C0.510 ppm
2022-05-11452200555C0.510 ppm
2022-06-21452200772C0.580 ppm
2022-06-21452200771C0.570 ppm
2022-06-21452200770C0.580 ppm
2022-07-20452200971C0.610 ppm
2022-07-20452200970C0.630 ppm
2022-07-20452200969C0.660 ppm
2022-08-10452201119C0.640 ppm
2022-08-10452201118C0.630 ppm
2022-08-10452201117C0.600 ppm
2022-09-16452201365C0.590 ppm
2022-09-16452201364C0.600 ppm
2022-09-16452201363C0.620 ppm
2022-10-06452201511C0.600 ppm
2022-10-06452201510C0.580 ppm
2022-10-06452201509C0.590 ppm
2022-11-17452201716C0.610 ppm
2022-11-17452201715C0.590 ppm
2022-11-17452201714C0.590 ppm
2022-12-06452201782C0.590 ppm
2022-12-06452201781C0.580 ppm
2022-12-06452201780C0.590 ppm
2023-01-12452300075C0.670 ppm
2023-01-12452300074C0.680 ppm
2023-01-12452300073C0.660 ppm
2023-02-03452300140C0.650 ppm
2023-02-03452300139C0.660 ppm
2023-02-03452300138C0.660 ppm
2023-03-08452300339C0.630 ppm
2023-03-08452300338C0.630 ppm
2023-03-08452300337C0.650 ppm
2023-04-03452300455C0.600 ppm
2023-04-03452300454C0.610 ppm
2023-04-03452300453C0.610 ppm
2023-05-01452300628C0.610 ppm
2023-05-01452300627C0.620 ppm
2023-05-01452300626C0.630 ppm
2023-06-02452300871C0.670 ppm
2023-06-02452300870C0.650 ppm
2023-06-02452300869C0.670 ppm
2023-07-03452301162C0.640 ppm
2023-07-03452301161C0.640 ppm
2023-07-03452301160C0.660 ppm
2023-07-202303316-010.570 ppm
2023-08-01452301455C0.620 ppm
2023-08-01452301454C0.620 ppm
2023-08-01452301453C0.610 ppm
2023-09-01452301758C0.450 ppm
2023-09-01452301757C0.450 ppm
2023-09-01452301756C0.460 ppm
2023-10-06452302057C0.480 ppm
2023-10-06452302056C0.480 ppm
2023-10-06452302055C0.480 ppm
2023-11-02452302194C0.580 ppm
2023-11-02452302193C0.610 ppm
2023-11-02452302192C0.610 ppm
2023-12-05452302419C0.600 ppm
2023-12-05452302418C0.610 ppm
2023-12-05452302417C0.610 ppm