Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Orleans 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.

 

218

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.0969 ppm5110ND - 0.660 ppm
20190.388 ppm4443ND - 0.700 ppm
20200.360 ppm28280.110 ppm - 0.540 ppm
20210.343 ppm35350.140 ppm - 0.500 ppm
20220.400 ppm4641ND - 1.000 ppm
20230.296 ppm1410ND - 0.800 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
2018-01-0217-IC-03370-001ND
2018-01-1017-IC-03371-001ND
2018-01-1617-IC-03372-001ND
2018-01-2317-IC-03373-001ND
2018-01-3017-IC-03374-001ND
2018-02-0617-IC-03375-001ND
2018-02-1317-IC-03376-001ND
2018-02-2117-IC-03377-001ND
2018-02-2717-IC-03378-001ND
2018-03-0818-IC-01561-001ND
2018-03-1611-IC-01621-001ND
2018-03-2011-IC-01622-001ND
2018-03-2711-IC-01623-001ND
2018-04-0311-IC-01624-001ND
2018-04-1011-IC-01625-001ND
2018-04-1711-IC-01626-001ND
2018-04-2412-IC-02508-001ND
2018-05-0118-IC-01502-001ND
2018-05-0818-IC-01503-001ND
2018-05-1518-IC-01504-001ND
2018-05-2218-IC-01505-001ND
2018-05-3018-IC-01506-001ND
2018-06-0518-IC-01507-001ND
2018-06-1218-IC-01508-001ND
2018-06-1918-IC-01509-001ND
2018-06-2618-IC-01510-001ND
2018-07-0318-IC-01511-0010.1000 ppm
2018-07-1018-IC-01512-001ND
2018-07-1718-IC-01513-001ND
2018-07-2418-IC-01514-001ND
2018-07-3118-IC-01515-001ND
2018-08-0718-IC-01516-001ND
2018-08-1418-IC-01517-0010.1000 ppm
2018-08-2118-IC-01518-001ND
2018-08-2818-IC-01519-001ND
2018-09-0418-IC-01520-001ND
2018-09-1118-IC-01521-001ND
2018-09-1818-IC-04710-001ND
2018-09-2518-IC-04842-001ND
2018-10-0218-IC-04793-001ND
2018-10-0918-IC-04794-001ND
2018-10-1618-IC-04795-001ND
2018-10-2318-IC-04796-001ND
2018-11-0618-IC-04797-0010.480 ppm
2018-11-1318-IC-04798-0010.660 ppm
2018-11-2018-IC-04799-0010.600 ppm
2018-11-2918-IC-04800-0010.600 ppm
2018-12-0418-IC-04801-0010.600 ppm
2018-12-1118-IC-04802-0010.600 ppm
2018-12-1818-IC-04803-0010.600 ppm
2018-12-2718-IC-04804-0010.600 ppm
2019-01-0218-IC-04805-0010.600 ppm
2019-01-0818-IC-04806-0010.500 ppm
2019-01-1518-IC-04807-0010.400 ppm
2019-03-0418-IC-04809-0010.210 ppm
2019-03-1218-IC-04810-0010.180 ppm
2019-03-1918-IC-04811-0010.170 ppm
2019-03-2619-IC-01298-0010.160 ppm
2019-04-0219-IC-01299-0010.140 ppm
2019-04-0919-IC-01300-0010.130 ppm
2019-04-1719-IC-01301-0010.120 ppm
2019-04-2319-IC-01302-0010.400 ppm
2019-05-0119-IC-01303-0010.700 ppm
2019-05-0719-IC-01304-0010.600 ppm
2019-05-1619-IC-01305-0010.500 ppm
2019-05-2119-IC-01306-0010.500 ppm
2019-05-2919-IC-01307-0010.500 ppm
2019-06-0419-IC-01308-0010.500 ppm
2019-06-1119-IC-01309-0010.500 ppm
2019-06-2519-IC-01310-0010.490 ppm
2019-07-0219-IC-01311-0010.490 ppm
2019-07-0919-IC-01312-0010.500 ppm
2019-07-1619-IC-01313-0010.500 ppm
2019-07-2319-IC-01314-0010.500 ppm
2019-07-3019-IC-01315-0010.400 ppm
2019-08-0619-IC-01317-0010.400 ppm
2019-08-1319-IC-01316-0010.400 ppm
2019-08-2018-IC-04812-0010.400 ppm
2019-09-0519-IC-08826-0010.290 ppm
2019-09-1019-IC-08827-0010.260 ppm
2019-09-1919-IC-08828-0010.410 ppm
2019-09-2419-IC-08829-0010.430 ppm
2019-10-0119-IC-08830-0010.400 ppm
2019-10-0819-IC-08831-0010.500 ppm
2019-10-1519-IC-08832-0010.470 ppm
2019-10-2219-IC-08833-0010.500 ppm
2019-10-2919-IC-08834-0010.500 ppm
2019-11-0519-IC-08835-0010.500 ppm
2019-11-1319-IC-08836-0010.400 ppm
2019-11-1919-IC-08837-0010.400 ppm
2019-11-2619-IC-08838-0010.330 ppm
2019-12-0319-IC-08839-0010.300 ppm
2019-12-1019-IC-08840-001ND
2019-12-1719-IC-08841-0010.280 ppm
2019-12-2419-IC-08842-0010.230 ppm
2020-01-0219-IC-08843-0010.300 ppm
2020-01-0819-IC-08844-0010.500 ppm
2020-01-1419-IC-08845-0010.490 ppm
2020-01-2120-IC-02582-0010.400 ppm
2020-02-0720-IC-02583-0010.460 ppm
2020-02-1120-IC-02584-0010.460 ppm
2020-02-1820-IC-02585-0010.400 ppm
2020-02-2520-IC-02586-0010.340 ppm
2020-03-0420-IC-02587-0010.290 ppm
2020-03-1020-IC-02588-0010.270 ppm
2020-03-1920-IC-02589-0010.240 ppm
2020-03-2420-IC-02590-0010.230 ppm
2020-04-0120-IC-02591-0010.200 ppm
2020-04-0720-IC-02592-0010.160 ppm
2020-04-1520-IC-02593-0010.440 ppm
2020-04-2120-IC-02594-0010.540 ppm
2020-04-2820-IC-02595-0010.510 ppm
2020-05-0520-IC-02596-0010.470 ppm
2020-05-1220-IC-02597-0010.430 ppm
2020-05-2720-IC-02598-0010.340 ppm
2020-06-0220-IC-02599-0010.310 ppm
2020-06-0920-IC-02600-0010.290 ppm
2020-06-1620-IC-02601-0010.470 ppm
2020-06-2518-IC-04808-0010.520 ppm
2020-09-292009-27586-0010.230 ppm
2020-10-222010-30641-0010.200 ppm
2020-11-182011-33447-0010.110 ppm
2020-12-152012-36160-0010.480 ppm
2021-01-122101-00879-0010.410 ppm
2021-02-232102-04698-0010.210 ppm
2021-04-2121-IC-00470-0010.140 ppm
2021-05-0621-IC-00471-0010.480 ppm
2021-05-1321-IC-00472-0010.420 ppm
2021-05-1821-IC-00473-0010.390 ppm
2021-05-2721-IC-00474-0010.290 ppm
2021-06-0221-IC-00475-0010.270 ppm
2021-06-0821-IC-00476-0010.250 ppm
2021-06-1621-IC-00477-0010.240 ppm
2021-06-2521-IC-00478-0010.210 ppm
2021-06-2921-IC-00479-0010.210 ppm
2021-07-0821-IC-00480-0010.210 ppm
2021-07-1321-IC-00481-0010.190 ppm
2021-07-2221-IC-00482-0010.240 ppm
2021-07-2721-IC-00483-001A0.410 ppm
2021-08-0321-IC-00484-0010.490 ppm
2021-08-1021-IC-00485-0010.500 ppm
2021-08-1821-IC-00486-0010.500 ppm
2021-08-2421-IC-00487-0010.400 ppm
2021-08-3121-IC-00488-0010.400 ppm
2021-09-0721-IC-00489-0010.300 ppm
2021-09-1421-IC-04052-0010.400 ppm
2021-09-3021-IC-04033-001A0.260 ppm
2021-10-1521-IC-04034-0010.300 ppm
2021-10-1921-IC-04035-0010.500 ppm
2021-10-2821-IC-04036-0010.500 ppm
2021-11-0221-IC-04037-0010.500 ppm
2021-11-1221-IC-04038-0010.500 ppm
2021-11-2421-IC-04039-0010.300 ppm
2021-11-3021-IC-04040-001A0.320 ppm
2021-12-0721-IC-04041-0010.300 ppm
2021-12-1421-IC-04042-0010.400 ppm
2021-12-2121-IC-04043-0010.300 ppm
2021-12-2821-IC-04044-001A0.260 ppm
2022-01-0621-IC-04045-001A0.230 ppm
2022-01-1121-IC-04046-001A0.230 ppm
2022-01-2021-IC-04047-001A0.230 ppm
2022-01-2521-IC-04048-001A0.220 ppm
2022-02-0321-IC-04049-001A0.220 ppm
2022-02-0821-IC-04050-001A0.210 ppm
2022-02-1721-IC-04051-001A0.210 ppm
2022-02-2222-IC-01212-001A0.290 ppm
2022-03-0322-IC-01364-001A0.280 ppm
2022-03-1522-IC-01214-001A0.240 ppm
2022-03-2222-IC-01215-001A0.230 ppm
2022-04-1322-IC-01216-0010.1000 ppm
2022-04-1922-IC-01217-001A0.1000 ppm
2022-04-2922-IC-01218-001AND
2022-05-0322-IC-01219-001AND
2022-05-1222-IC-01220-001A0.120 ppm
2022-05-1722-IC-01221-001A0.110 ppm
2022-05-2722-IC-01222-001AND
2022-05-3122-IC-01223-001AND
2022-06-0922-IC-01224-001A0.110 ppm
2022-06-1422-IC-01225-001AND
2022-06-2422-IC-01226-0010.700 ppm
2022-06-2822-IC-01227-0010.800 ppm
2022-07-0622-IC-01228-0010.500 ppm
2022-07-1222-IC-01229-0010.400 ppm
2022-07-1922-IC-01230-0010.300 ppm
2022-07-2922-IC-01231-0011.000 ppm
2022-08-0222-IC-01232-0010.800 ppm
2022-08-1922-IC-06316-0010.800 ppm
2022-08-2522-IC-06317-0010.900 ppm
2022-08-3022-IC-06318-0010.800 ppm
2022-09-0822-IC-06319-0010.700 ppm
2022-09-1322-IC-06320-0010.700 ppm
2022-09-2322-IC-06321-0010.500 ppm
2022-10-0622-IC-06322-0010.400 ppm
2022-10-1122-IC-06324-001A0.800 ppm
2022-10-2122-IC-06323-0010.800 ppm
2022-10-2522-IC-06325-0010.800 ppm
2022-11-0422-IC-06326-0010.700 ppm
2022-11-0822-IC-06327-0010.700 ppm
2022-11-1822-IC-06328-0010.600 ppm
2022-11-2322-IC-06329-0010.500 ppm
2022-12-0222-IC-06330-0010.300 ppm
2022-12-0922-IC-06331-0010.300 ppm
2022-12-1622-IC-06332-001A0.240 ppm
2022-12-2222-IC-06333-001A0.210 ppm
2023-01-1322-IC-06334-0010.600 ppm
2023-01-2122-IC-06335-0010.800 ppm
2023-01-2822-IC-09421-0010.600 ppm
2023-02-0422-IC-09422-0010.400 ppm
2023-02-1122-IC-09423-0010.300 ppm
2023-02-1822-IC-09424-001A0.240 ppm
2023-02-2522-IC-09425-001A0.170 ppm
2023-03-0422-IC-09426-001A0.130 ppm
2023-03-1122-IC-09427-001A0.120 ppm
2023-04-0722-IC-09428-0010.790 ppm
2023-11-1622-IC-09429-001AND
2023-11-3022-IC-09430-001AND
2023-12-0422-IC-09431-001AND
2023-12-1222-IC-09433-001AND