Fluoride

Burlington Department Public Works Water Div

Fluoride occurs naturally in surface and groundwater and is also added to drinking water by many water systems. Read More.

Fluoride has been promoted as a chemical that reduces dental cavities. Yet it is now well-established that fluoride primarily exerts its protective effects through topical mechanisms, such as sodium fluoride in toothpaste and mouthwash. In contrast, long-term ingestion of fluoride in water increases dental fluorosis, which includes mottling, pitting and weakening of the teeth. 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 fractures, although these effects may occur at lower doses.

Even fluoride levels of 0.7 ppm, the amount of fluoride in drinking water recommended by the U.S. Public Health Service, can result in too much fluoride for bottle-fed babies. EWG recommends that caregivers mix baby formula with fluoride-free water. The National Toxicology Program is investigating the potential for low doses of fluoride to alter thyroid function and childhood brain development.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

162

Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Detections	Range of results
2013	N/A	0	0	N/A
2014	0.504 ppm	24	24	0.400 ppm - 0.700 ppm
2015	0.547 ppm	32	32	0.300 ppm - 0.700 ppm
2016	0.567 ppm	24	24	0.400 ppm - 0.800 ppm
2017	0.597 ppm	29	29	0.400 ppm - 0.700 ppm
2018	0.563 ppm	24	24	0.400 ppm - 0.700 ppm
2019	0.462 ppm	29	27	ND - 0.640 ppm

ppm = parts per million

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 4 ppm

ppm = parts per million

All test results

Date	Lab ID	Result
2014-02-24	13-IC-01410-001	0.400 ppm
2014-03-17	13-IC-01408-001	0.400 ppm
2014-03-24	13-IC-01409-001	0.400 ppm
2014-04-07	13-IC-01412-001	0.400 ppm
2014-04-14	13-IC-01413-001	0.400 ppm
2014-04-21	13-IC-01414-001	0.400 ppm
2014-04-28	13-IC-01415-001	0.400 ppm
2014-05-12	13-IC-01416-001	0.400 ppm
2014-05-19	13-IC-01417-001	0.500 ppm
2014-06-10	13-IC-01418-001	0.400 ppm
2014-06-16	13-IC-01419-001	0.500 ppm
2014-07-15	13-IC-01420-001	0.500 ppm
2014-08-04	13-IC-01426-001	0.500 ppm
2014-08-11	13-IC-01422-001	0.600 ppm
2014-08-18	13-IC-01423-001	0.500 ppm
2014-09-02	13-IC-01424-001	0.700 ppm
2014-09-09	13-IC-01425-001	0.700 ppm
2014-09-29	13-IC-01427-001	0.600 ppm
2014-10-06	13-IC-01428-001	0.600 ppm
2014-10-14	13-IC-01429-001	0.500 ppm
2014-10-20	13-IC-01430-001	0.500 ppm
2014-10-27	13-IC-01431-001	0.600 ppm
2014-11-03	11-IC-01338-001	0.600 ppm
2014-11-17	11-IC-01339-001	0.600 ppm
2015-01-20	15-IC-00001-001	0.300 ppm
2015-01-26	15-IC-00002-001	0.500 ppm
2015-02-10	14-IC-02452-001	0.600 ppm
2015-02-17	14-IC-02453-001	0.600 ppm
2015-02-24	14-IC-02454-001	0.400 ppm
2015-03-05	14-IC-02455-001	0.400 ppm
2015-03-09	14-IC-02456-001	0.600 ppm
2015-03-16	14-IC-02457-001	0.400 ppm
2015-03-23	14-IC-02458-001	0.600 ppm
2015-04-13	14-IC-02459-001	0.500 ppm
2015-04-20	14-IC-02460-001	0.400 ppm
2015-05-03	14-IC-02461-001	0.500 ppm
2015-05-11	14-IC-02462-001	0.600 ppm
2015-05-18	14-IC-02463-001	0.600 ppm
2015-05-26	14-IC-02464-001	0.500 ppm
2015-06-09	14-IC-02465-001	0.400 ppm
2015-06-16	14-IC-02466-001	0.500 ppm
2015-07-23	14-IC-02468-001	0.600 ppm
2015-08-03	14-IC-02469-001	0.700 ppm
2015-08-11	14-IC-02474-001	0.700 ppm
2015-09-17	14-IC-02470-001	0.700 ppm
2015-09-28	14-IC-02471-001	0.600 ppm
2015-10-06	14-IC-02472-001A	0.600 ppm
2015-10-13	14-IC-02473-001	0.600 ppm
2015-10-26	14-IC-02475-001	0.600 ppm
2015-11-02	14-IC-02476-001	0.600 ppm
2015-11-16	14-IC-02477-001	0.600 ppm
2015-11-23	14-IC-02478-001	0.600 ppm
2015-12-03	14-IC-02479-001	0.600 ppm
2015-12-14	14-IC-02480-001	0.500 ppm
2015-12-22	14-IC-02481-001	0.500 ppm
2015-12-28	15-IC-00048-001	0.600 ppm
2016-01-05	14-IC-02482-001	0.600 ppm
2016-01-11	14-IC-02486-001	0.600 ppm
2016-02-22	14-IC-02485-001	0.400 ppm
2016-03-28	14-IC-02487-001	0.500 ppm
2016-04-18	14-IC-02488-001	0.500 ppm
2016-05-16	14-IC-02489-001	0.400 ppm
2016-06-02	14-IC-02490-001	0.400 ppm
2016-06-13	14-IC-02491-001	0.800 ppm
2016-06-27	14-IC-02492-001	0.600 ppm
2016-07-05	14-IC-02493-001	0.500 ppm
2016-07-11	14-IC-02494-001	0.600 ppm
2016-07-19	14-IC-02495-001	0.500 ppm
2016-08-01	14-IC-02496-001	0.500 ppm
2016-08-08	14-IC-02497-001	0.500 ppm
2016-08-29	14-IC-02498-001	0.600 ppm
2016-09-06	14-IC-02499-001	0.600 ppm
2016-09-26	15-IC-00003-001	0.700 ppm
2016-10-03	15-IC-00004-001	0.700 ppm
2016-10-06	1610-23018-001	0.700 ppm
2016-10-24	15-IC-00005-001	0.700 ppm
2016-11-08	15-IC-00006-001	0.700 ppm
2016-11-29	15-IC-00009-001	0.500 ppm
2016-12-19	15-IC-00007-001	0.500 ppm
2016-12-27	15-IC-00008-001	0.500 ppm
2017-01-23	15-IC-00011-001	0.500 ppm
2017-02-02	15-IC-00012-001	0.500 ppm
2017-02-21	15-IC-00013-001	0.500 ppm
2017-03-13	15-IC-00014-001	0.500 ppm
2017-03-20	15-IC-00015-001	0.400 ppm
2017-03-27	15-IC-00016-001	0.500 ppm
2017-04-18	15-IC-00017-001	0.500 ppm
2017-04-24	15-IC-00018-001	0.500 ppm
2017-05-18	15-IC-00019-001	0.500 ppm
2017-05-22	15-IC-00020-001	0.500 ppm
2017-06-01	15-IC-00021-001	0.500 ppm
2017-06-05	15-IC-00022-001	0.500 ppm
2017-06-12	15-IC-00023-001	0.700 ppm
2017-06-21	15-IC-00024-001	0.600 ppm
2017-06-27	15-IC-00025-001	0.700 ppm
2017-07-10	15-IC-00026-001	0.700 ppm
2017-07-17	15-IC-00027-001	0.700 ppm
2017-08-07	15-IC-00028-001	0.700 ppm
2017-08-14	15-IC-00029-001	0.600 ppm
2017-08-21	15-IC-00030-001	0.700 ppm
2017-08-28	15-IC-00031-001	0.700 ppm
2017-09-05	15-IC-00032-001	0.700 ppm
2017-09-11	15-IC-00033-001	0.500 ppm
2017-09-18	15-IC-00034-001	0.700 ppm
2017-10-02	15-IC-00035-001	0.700 ppm
2017-10-10	15-IC-00036-001	0.700 ppm
2017-10-17	15-IC-00037-001	0.700 ppm
2017-12-04	15-IC-00038-001	0.700 ppm
2017-12-18	15-IC-00039-001	0.600 ppm
2018-01-04	15-IC-00041-001	0.700 ppm
2018-01-22	15-IC-00042-001	0.700 ppm
2018-03-01	15-IC-00043-001	0.500 ppm
2018-03-05	15-IC-00044-001	0.500 ppm
2018-03-20	15-IC-00045-001	0.400 ppm
2018-04-16	15-IC-00046-001	0.500 ppm
2018-05-01	15-IC-00047-001	0.500 ppm
2018-06-04	11-IC-00754-001	0.600 ppm
2018-06-11	11-IC-01335-001	0.600 ppm
2018-06-18	12-IC-01185-001	0.600 ppm
2018-07-09	13-IC-01411-001	0.600 ppm
2018-07-23	14-IC-02484-001	0.600 ppm
2018-08-07	14-IC-02467-001	0.600 ppm
2018-09-04	15-IC-00010-001	0.600 ppm
2018-10-01	18-IC-02618-001	0.500 ppm
2018-10-15	18-IC-02617-001	0.700 ppm
2018-11-01	18-IC-02623-001	0.500 ppm
2018-11-13	18-IC-02619-001	0.600 ppm
2018-11-19	18-IC-02622-001	0.500 ppm
2018-11-26	18-IC-02620-001	0.500 ppm
2018-12-04	18-IC-02621-001	0.600 ppm
2018-12-10	18-IC-02624-001	0.600 ppm
2018-12-17	18-IC-02625-001	0.500 ppm
2018-12-27	18-IC-02627-001	0.500 ppm
2019-01-14	18-IC-02628-001	0.500 ppm
2019-01-23	18-IC-02629-001	0.500 ppm
2019-02-04	19-IC-00521-001	0.500 ppm
2019-03-04	18-IC-02626-001	0.500 ppm
2019-03-11	19-IC-01192-001	0.500 ppm
2019-03-18	19-IC-00522-001	0.500 ppm
2019-04-08	19-IC-00524-001	0.500 ppm
2019-04-15	19-IC-00523-001	0.500 ppm
2019-05-13	19-IC-00525-001	ND
2019-06-03	19-IC-00526-001	0.400 ppm
2019-06-10	19-IC-00527-001	0.400 ppm
2019-06-20	19-IC-00528-001	0.400 ppm
2019-06-24	19-IC-00529-001	0.400 ppm
2019-07-08	19-IC-00530-001	0.500 ppm
2019-07-15	19-IC-00531-001	0.550 ppm
2019-07-22	19-IC-00532-001	0.500 ppm
2019-08-05	19-IC-00533-001	0.600 ppm
2019-09-06	19-IC-00535-001	0.640 ppm
2019-09-16	19-IC-00540-001	0.500 ppm
2019-09-23	19-IC-00536-001	0.500 ppm
2019-10-03	19-IC-13309-001	0.580 ppm
2019-10-15	19-IC-14666-001	0.550 ppm
2019-10-28	19-IC-16902-001	0.580 ppm
2019-11-11	19-IC-17532-001	0.500 ppm
2019-11-18	19-IC-00537-001	0.500 ppm
2019-11-25	19-IC-00538-001	0.520 ppm
2019-12-09	19-IC-00539-001	ND
2019-12-17	19-IC-10043-001	0.480 ppm
2019-12-23	19-IC-10044-001	0.310 ppm