Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

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 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.

 

156

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.563 ppm24240.400 ppm - 0.700 ppm
20190.462 ppm2927ND - 0.640 ppm
20200.503 ppm12120.340 ppm - 0.670 ppm
20210.574 ppm28280.380 ppm - 0.840 ppm
20220.585 ppm28280.400 ppm - 0.700 ppm
20230.486 ppm35350.200 ppm - 0.700 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
2018-01-0415-IC-00041-0010.700 ppm
2018-01-2215-IC-00042-0010.700 ppm
2018-03-0115-IC-00043-0010.500 ppm
2018-03-0515-IC-00044-0010.500 ppm
2018-03-2015-IC-00045-0010.400 ppm
2018-04-1615-IC-00046-0010.500 ppm
2018-05-0115-IC-00047-0010.500 ppm
2018-06-0411-IC-00754-0010.600 ppm
2018-06-1111-IC-01335-0010.600 ppm
2018-06-1812-IC-01185-0010.600 ppm
2018-07-0913-IC-01411-0010.600 ppm
2018-07-2314-IC-02484-0010.600 ppm
2018-08-0714-IC-02467-0010.600 ppm
2018-09-0415-IC-00010-0010.600 ppm
2018-10-0118-IC-02618-0010.500 ppm
2018-10-1518-IC-02617-0010.700 ppm
2018-11-0118-IC-02623-0010.500 ppm
2018-11-1318-IC-02619-0010.600 ppm
2018-11-1918-IC-02622-0010.500 ppm
2018-11-2618-IC-02620-0010.500 ppm
2018-12-0418-IC-02621-0010.600 ppm
2018-12-1018-IC-02624-0010.600 ppm
2018-12-1718-IC-02625-0010.500 ppm
2018-12-2718-IC-02627-0010.500 ppm
2019-01-1418-IC-02628-0010.500 ppm
2019-01-2318-IC-02629-0010.500 ppm
2019-02-0419-IC-00521-0010.500 ppm
2019-03-0418-IC-02626-0010.500 ppm
2019-03-1119-IC-01192-0010.500 ppm
2019-03-1819-IC-00522-0010.500 ppm
2019-04-0819-IC-00524-0010.500 ppm
2019-04-1519-IC-00523-0010.500 ppm
2019-05-1319-IC-00525-001ND
2019-06-0319-IC-00526-0010.400 ppm
2019-06-1019-IC-00527-0010.400 ppm
2019-06-2019-IC-00528-0010.400 ppm
2019-06-2419-IC-00529-0010.400 ppm
2019-07-0819-IC-00530-0010.500 ppm
2019-07-1519-IC-00531-0010.550 ppm
2019-07-2219-IC-00532-0010.500 ppm
2019-08-0519-IC-00533-0010.600 ppm
2019-09-0619-IC-00535-0010.640 ppm
2019-09-1619-IC-00540-0010.500 ppm
2019-09-2319-IC-00536-0010.500 ppm
2019-10-0319-IC-13309-0010.580 ppm
2019-10-1519-IC-14666-0010.550 ppm
2019-10-2819-IC-16902-0010.580 ppm
2019-11-1119-IC-17532-0010.500 ppm
2019-11-1819-IC-00537-0010.500 ppm
2019-11-2519-IC-00538-0010.520 ppm
2019-12-0919-IC-00539-001ND
2019-12-1719-IC-10043-0010.480 ppm
2019-12-2319-IC-10044-0010.310 ppm
2020-01-0619-IC-10045-0010.500 ppm
2020-01-1319-IC-10046-0010.390 ppm
2020-01-2019-IC-10047-0010.340 ppm
2020-02-0619-IC-10048-0010.470 ppm
2020-02-1819-IC-10049-0010.460 ppm
2020-03-0919-IC-10050-0010.430 ppm
2020-03-1619-IC-10051-0010.480 ppm
2020-04-2719-IC-10052-0010.490 ppm
2020-05-1119-IC-10053-0010.500 ppm
2020-05-2619-IC-10054-0010.670 ppm
2020-10-2619-IC-10055-0010.650 ppm
2020-11-2319-IC-10056-0010.660 ppm
2021-01-0719-IC-10057-0010.470 ppm
2021-01-1119-IC-10058-0010.410 ppm
2021-01-1819-IC-10059-0010.540 ppm
2021-02-0819-IC-10060-0010.560 ppm
2021-02-1619-IC-10061-0010.380 ppm
2021-03-0119-IC-10062-0010.620 ppm
2021-03-1521-IC-00200-0010.630 ppm
2021-03-2221-IC-00201-0010.600 ppm
2021-04-0121-IC-00202-0010.580 ppm
2021-04-1221-IC-00203-0010.640 ppm
2021-04-1921-IC-00204-0010.600 ppm
2021-05-1021-IC-00205-0010.840 ppm
2021-05-2021-IC-00207-0010.620 ppm
2021-06-0721-IC-00208-0010.680 ppm
2021-07-0621-IC-00209-0010.690 ppm
2021-08-0221-IC-00210-0010.610 ppm
2021-09-0721-IC-00211-0010.600 ppm
2021-09-1621-IC-00212-0010.600 ppm
2021-10-0421-IC-00213-0010.500 ppm
2021-10-1221-IC-00214-0010.600 ppm
2021-10-2521-IC-00215-0010.600 ppm
2021-11-0121-IC-00216-0010.600 ppm
2021-11-1021-IC-00217-0010.600 ppm
2021-11-1521-IC-00219-0010.500 ppm
2021-11-2221-IC-00218-0010.500 ppm
2021-12-0221-IC-06302-0010.400 ppm
2021-12-0721-IC-06303-0010.500 ppm
2021-12-2021-IC-06304-0010.600 ppm
2022-01-1921-IC-06305-0010.400 ppm
2022-01-2521-IC-06306-0010.400 ppm
2022-02-1521-IC-06307-0010.400 ppm
2022-02-2221-IC-06308-0010.500 ppm
2022-03-1421-IC-06310-0010.500 ppm
2022-03-2121-IC-06309-0010.600 ppm
2022-03-2821-IC-06320-0010.500 ppm
2022-04-1221-IC-06321-0010.600 ppm
2022-05-0921-IC-06311-0010.700 ppm
2022-05-1621-IC-06312-0010.500 ppm
2022-06-0621-IC-06313-0010.700 ppm
2022-07-0521-IC-06314-0010.700 ppm
2022-07-1121-IC-06315-0010.600 ppm
2022-07-1821-IC-06316-0010.570 ppm
2022-08-0221-IC-06317-0010.600 ppm
2022-08-0821-IC-06318-0010.600 ppm
2022-08-1521-IC-06319-001A0.700 ppm
2022-08-2522-IC-05097-0010.700 ppm
2022-09-0222-IC-05098-0010.600 ppm
2022-09-1222-IC-05099-0010.600 ppm
2022-10-0322-IC-05100-0010.600 ppm
2022-10-1122-IC-05101-0010.600 ppm
2022-10-2522-IC-05102-0010.600 ppm
2022-11-0922-IC-05103-0010.700 ppm
2022-11-1522-IC-05104-0010.700 ppm
2022-11-2122-IC-05105-0010.500 ppm
2022-12-0822-IC-05106-0010.700 ppm
2022-12-1922-IC-05107-0010.500 ppm
2023-01-0322-IC-05108-0010.600 ppm
2023-01-1722-IC-05109-0010.600 ppm
2023-01-2322-IC-05110-0010.700 ppm
2023-02-0622-IC-05111-001A0.290 ppm
2023-02-1622-IC-05112-0010.400 ppm
2023-02-2122-IC-05113-0010.400 ppm
2023-03-0622-IC-05114-001A0.300 ppm
2023-03-1322-IC-05115-0010.400 ppm
2023-03-2022-IC-05116-0010.420 ppm
2023-04-0323-IC-01443-0010.430 ppm
2023-04-1323-IC-01444-0010.460 ppm
2023-04-1723-IC-01445-0010.390 ppm
2023-04-2423-IC-01446-0010.430 ppm
2023-05-0123-IC-01447-0010.400 ppm
2023-05-0823-IC-01448-0010.500 ppm
2023-05-1523-IC-01449-0010.400 ppm
2023-05-2223-IC-01450-0010.500 ppm
2023-06-0523-IC-01451-0010.400 ppm
2023-06-1223-IC-01452-0010.500 ppm
2023-07-1023-IC-01454-0010.500 ppm
2023-07-2423-IC-01455-0010.600 ppm
2023-08-0123-IC-01456-001A0.200 ppm
2023-08-0723-IC-01457-0010.300 ppm
2023-08-1423-IC-01458-0010.500 ppm
2023-08-2123-IC-01459-0010.500 ppm
2023-09-0523-IC-01460-0010.700 ppm
2023-09-1123-IC-11820-0010.600 ppm
2023-09-1823-IC-11868-0010.600 ppm
2023-10-0323-IC-12246-001A0.500 ppm
2023-10-0923-IC-12449-0010.600 ppm
2023-10-1623-IC-12459-0010.500 ppm
2023-11-0623-IC-13396-0010.600 ppm
2023-12-0423-IC-13283-0010.600 ppm
2023-12-1123-IC-13284-0010.600 ppm
2023-12-1523-IC-13285-0010.600 ppm