Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Waverly, City of

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.

 

46

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.757 ppm14140.420 ppm - 1.14 ppm
20190.553 ppm13130.385 ppm - 0.665 ppm
20200.570 ppm12120.442 ppm - 0.732 ppm
20210.798 ppm660.431 ppm - 2.35 ppm
20220.513 ppm110.513 ppm
2023N/A00N/A

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
2018-01-095297631.14 ppm
2018-01-095322760.420 ppm
2018-01-095322770.886 ppm
2018-02-265353110.743 ppm
2018-03-295388630.760 ppm
2018-04-065420370.966 ppm
2018-05-235482520.804 ppm
2018-06-285535641.02 ppm
2018-07-305581570.647 ppm
2018-08-305658900.633 ppm
2018-09-145701750.722 ppm
2018-10-305760670.651 ppm
2018-11-295815720.585 ppm
2018-12-105854800.624 ppm
2019-01-155888460.566 ppm
2019-02-285942490.586 ppm
2019-03-085977170.592 ppm
2019-04-226015030.587 ppm
2019-04-226033380.385 ppm
2019-05-306090900.638 ppm
2019-06-216130840.554 ppm
2019-07-306186960.665 ppm
2019-08-146267810.580 ppm
2019-09-206310690.506 ppm
2019-10-296363030.525 ppm
2019-11-146430610.508 ppm
2019-12-276482420.497 ppm
2020-01-096526350.732 ppm
2020-02-246569540.546 ppm
2020-03-186607180.658 ppm
2020-04-096657560.584 ppm
2020-05-216707490.549 ppm
2020-06-126767470.565 ppm
2020-07-316805420.588 ppm
2020-08-076885550.657 ppm
2020-09-116937300.442 ppm
2020-10-286981590.452 ppm
2020-11-197053110.584 ppm
2020-12-177094760.486 ppm
2021-01-127166880.431 ppm
2021-01-127166872.35 ppm
2021-01-227137330.496 ppm
2021-02-257188160.487 ppm
2021-03-307230900.522 ppm
2021-04-237255690.501 ppm
2022-04-187928650.513 ppm