Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Genoa Village Public Water System

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.

 

111

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.922 ppm17170.820 ppm - 1.10 ppm
20190.860 ppm22220.720 ppm - 1.000 ppm
20200.945 ppm220.940 ppm - 0.950 ppm
20210.848 ppm22220.750 ppm - 0.950 ppm
20220.852 ppm19190.740 ppm - 0.980 ppm
20230.850 ppm29290.780 ppm - 0.950 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
2018-01-090109180.840 ppm
2018-01-160116180.960 ppm
2018-01-230123181.10 ppm
2018-02-060206180.960 ppm
2018-02-130213180.970 ppm
2018-02-200220181.01 ppm
2018-03-060306180.860 ppm
2018-03-130313180.850 ppm
2018-03-200320180.850 ppm
2018-04-0304031870.950 ppm
2018-04-1004101870.900 ppm
2018-04-1704171870.950 ppm
2018-10-09100918G0.900 ppm
2018-10-16101618G0.920 ppm
2018-10-23102318P0.820 ppm
2018-12-11121118G0.930 ppm
2018-12-18121818G0.910 ppm
2019-01-08010819G0.890 ppm
2019-01-15011519G0.870 ppm
2019-01-22012219G0.900 ppm
2019-02-05020519G0.800 ppm
2019-02-12021219G0.790 ppm
2019-02-19021919G0.790 ppm
2019-03-05030519G0.720 ppm
2019-03-12031219G0.740 ppm
2019-03-19031919G0.910 ppm
2019-04-02040219G0.960 ppm
2019-04-09040919G0.800 ppm
2019-04-16041619G0.850 ppm
2019-05-14051419G0.860 ppm
2019-06-11061119G1.000 ppm
2019-06-18061819G0.910 ppm
2019-07-08070819G0.880 ppm
2019-07-16071619G0.930 ppm
2019-07-23072319G0.830 ppm
2019-08-06080619G0.890 ppm
2019-08-13081319G0.820 ppm
2019-08-20082019G0.910 ppm
2019-09-10091019G0.860 ppm
2020-09-01090120G0.950 ppm
2020-09-08090820G0.940 ppm
2021-01-12011221G0.900 ppm
2021-01-19011921G0.780 ppm
2021-03-02030221G0.840 ppm
2021-03-09030921G0.900 ppm
2021-03-16031621G0.830 ppm
2021-04-06040621G0.870 ppm
2021-04-13041321G0.810 ppm
2021-04-20042021G0.810 ppm
2021-05-04050421G0.810 ppm
2021-05-11051121G0.750 ppm
2021-05-18051821G0.850 ppm
2021-06-01060121G0.950 ppm
2021-06-08060821G0.860 ppm
2021-06-15061521G0.890 ppm
2021-07-06070621G0.860 ppm
2021-07-13071321G0.830 ppm
2021-07-20072021G0.820 ppm
2021-08-10081021G0.860 ppm
2021-08-17081721G0.820 ppm
2021-09-07090721G0.900 ppm
2021-09-14091421G0.850 ppm
2021-09-21092121G0.860 ppm
2022-02-15021522G0.870 ppm
2022-05-03050322G0.980 ppm
2022-05-10051022G0.870 ppm
2022-05-17051722G0.830 ppm
2022-06-07060722G0.800 ppm
2022-06-21062122G0.840 ppm
2022-07-05070522G0.780 ppm
2022-07-12071222G0.860 ppm
2022-07-19071922G0.890 ppm
2022-08-02080222G0.880 ppm
2022-08-09080922G0.830 ppm
2022-08-16081622G0.740 ppm
2022-09-06090622G0.860 ppm
2022-10-04100422G0.860 ppm
2022-10-25102522G0.850 ppm
2022-11-01110122G0.890 ppm
2022-11-08110822G0.840 ppm
2022-12-06120622G0.850 ppm
2022-12-13121322G0.860 ppm
2023-01-10011023G0.860 ppm
2023-02-07020723G0.830 ppm
2023-02-14021423G0.880 ppm
2023-02-21022123G0.850 ppm
2023-03-07030723G0.800 ppm
2023-03-21032123G0.850 ppm
2023-04-04040423G0.780 ppm
2023-04-18041823G0.820 ppm
2023-04-25042523G0.950 ppm
2023-05-02050223G0.870 ppm
2023-05-09050923G0.920 ppm
2023-05-16051623G0.840 ppm
2023-06-06060623G0.820 ppm
2023-06-21062123G0.870 ppm
2023-07-05070523G0.880 ppm
2023-07-11071123G0.840 ppm
2023-07-18071823G0.860 ppm
2023-08-01080123G0.820 ppm
2023-08-08080823G0.810 ppm
2023-08-15081523G0.920 ppm
2023-09-12091223G0.820 ppm
2023-09-19091923G0.830 ppm
2023-10-10101023G0.830 ppm
2023-10-17101723G0.820 ppm
2023-11-07110723G0.840 ppm
2023-11-14111423G0.850 ppm
2023-11-21112123G0.870 ppm
2023-12-12121223G0.820 ppm
2023-12-19121923G0.890 ppm