Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Poynette Waterworks

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.

 

173

Samples

1

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.909 ppm28280.600 ppm - 5.26 ppm
20190.670 ppm28280.431 ppm - 1.31 ppm
20200.906 ppm24240.190 ppm - 1.15 ppm
20210.778 ppm35350.0854 ppm - 1.09 ppm
20220.786 ppm28280.0888 ppm - 1.03 ppm
20230.718 ppm30300.0832 ppm - 1.26 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
2018-01-083614580010.600 ppm
2018-01-083614580010.788 ppm
2018-02-053656090010.617 ppm
2018-02-053656090010.700 ppm
2018-02-213679270010.810 ppm
2018-03-053696440010.674 ppm
2018-03-053696440010.800 ppm
2018-04-023741660010.623 ppm
2018-04-023741660010.800 ppm
2018-05-083810220010.700 ppm
2018-05-083810220010.794 ppm
2018-06-043861660010.700 ppm
2018-06-043861660010.841 ppm
2018-06-183890150010.857 ppm
2018-07-053923100010.740 ppm
2018-07-053923100010.851 ppm
2018-08-063991700010.721 ppm
2018-08-063991700010.750 ppm
2018-09-054056520010.730 ppm
2018-09-054056520010.799 ppm
2018-09-124071050015.26 ppm
2018-10-164150220010.797 ppm
2018-10-164150220010.800 ppm
2018-11-134193740010.722 ppm
2018-11-134193740010.900 ppm
2018-12-134242740010.862 ppm
2018-12-174244740010.600 ppm
2018-12-174244740010.626 ppm
2019-01-244291150010.500 ppm
2019-01-244291150010.601 ppm
2019-02-194323310010.600 ppm
2019-02-194323310010.618 ppm
2019-03-114348720010.476 ppm
2019-03-114348720010.640 ppm
2019-03-194359230010.519 ppm
2019-04-104400590010.600 ppm
2019-04-104400590010.603 ppm
2019-05-084451170010.545 ppm
2019-05-084451170010.600 ppm
2019-06-184531100010.614 ppm
2019-06-184531100010.680 ppm
2019-06-244534050010.633 ppm
2019-07-294599750010.431 ppm
2019-07-294599750010.600 ppm
2019-08-264660570010.540 ppm
2019-08-264660570010.605 ppm
2019-09-194713640010.537 ppm
2019-09-194712680010.609 ppm
2019-09-194713640010.670 ppm
2019-10-074750720010.780 ppm
2019-10-074750720010.970 ppm
2019-11-054800290010.700 ppm
2019-11-054800290010.992 ppm
2019-12-034843400010.800 ppm
2019-12-034843400010.990 ppm
2019-12-094848540011.31 ppm
2020-01-064880730010.900 ppm
2020-01-064880730010.902 ppm
2020-04-064994050010.900 ppm
2020-04-064994050011.01 ppm
2020-05-045027170010.970 ppm
2020-05-045027170011.000 ppm
2020-06-025074010010.910 ppm
2020-06-025074010011.000 ppm
2020-06-085081960010.268 ppm
2020-07-085134940010.957 ppm
2020-07-085134940011.000 ppm
2020-08-035175360010.190 ppm
2020-08-035175360010.921 ppm
2020-09-095242720010.991 ppm
2020-09-095242720011.10 ppm
2020-09-095241920011.15 ppm
2020-09-215265120010.795 ppm
2020-09-215265140011.12 ppm
2020-10-135306530010.936 ppm
2020-10-135306530011.000 ppm
2020-11-025338550010.800 ppm
2020-11-025338550011.05 ppm
2020-12-025380870010.900 ppm
2020-12-025380870010.970 ppm
2021-01-045417740010.800 ppm
2021-01-045417740010.945 ppm
2021-02-015454590010.915 ppm
2021-02-015454590011.000 ppm
2021-02-015454590010.915 ppm
2021-02-015454590011.000 ppm
2021-02-165476500011.04 ppm
2021-02-165476500011.04 ppm
2021-02-175479520010.0877 ppm
2021-02-175479520010.0877 ppm
2021-03-015491030010.800 ppm
2021-03-015491030010.886 ppm
2021-03-015491030010.800 ppm
2021-03-015491030010.886 ppm
2021-04-055541420010.800 ppm
2021-04-055541420010.875 ppm
2021-04-195569530010.0854 ppm
2021-05-035591870010.720 ppm
2021-05-035591870010.838 ppm
2021-06-015642140010.841 ppm
2021-06-015642140011.000 ppm
2021-07-065702220010.800 ppm
2021-07-065702220010.948 ppm
2021-08-095767440010.800 ppm
2021-08-095767440010.951 ppm
2021-09-145832200010.265 ppm
2021-09-145833360010.889 ppm
2021-09-145833360010.900 ppm
2021-10-045872330010.930 ppm
2021-10-045872330011.09 ppm
2021-11-035928570010.630 ppm
2021-11-035928570010.883 ppm
2021-11-095936840010.0871 ppm
2021-12-015963940010.800 ppm
2021-12-015963940010.893 ppm
2022-01-036002230010.942 ppm
2022-01-036002230010.960 ppm
2022-02-026041740010.720 ppm
2022-02-026041740010.882 ppm
2022-03-016073620010.850 ppm
2022-03-016073620010.959 ppm
2022-03-096088810010.117 ppm
2022-04-046118690010.700 ppm
2022-04-046118690010.995 ppm
2022-05-026166310010.900 ppm
2022-05-026166310010.975 ppm
2022-06-016223730010.109 ppm
2022-06-016223000010.860 ppm
2022-06-016223000010.955 ppm
2022-07-066287660010.730 ppm
2022-07-066287660010.988 ppm
2022-08-106361030010.740 ppm
2022-08-106361030011.03 ppm
2022-09-076409860010.700 ppm
2022-09-076408490010.745 ppm
2022-09-076409860010.965 ppm
2022-10-036459830010.800 ppm
2022-10-036459830010.860 ppm
2022-11-026513540010.0888 ppm
2022-11-026513550010.700 ppm
2022-11-026513550010.953 ppm
2022-12-076561170010.830 ppm
2022-12-076561170010.968 ppm
2023-01-046592110010.600 ppm
2023-01-046592110010.745 ppm
2023-02-066631170011.26 ppm
2023-02-136641540010.500 ppm
2023-02-136641540010.931 ppm
2023-03-146680740010.500 ppm
2023-03-146680740010.982 ppm
2023-04-106720090010.500 ppm
2023-04-106720090010.927 ppm
2023-05-086770160010.500 ppm
2023-05-086770160010.888 ppm
2023-05-116782450010.0832 ppm
2023-05-116782440010.797 ppm
2023-06-056817160010.500 ppm
2023-06-056817160010.965 ppm
2023-07-106874050010.500 ppm
2023-07-106874050011.11 ppm
2023-08-146945370010.800 ppm
2023-08-146945370011.09 ppm
2023-08-226962260010.136 ppm
2023-08-286971480010.111 ppm
2023-09-066985940010.400 ppm
2023-09-066985940011.24 ppm
2023-10-097049670010.400 ppm
2023-10-097049670011.18 ppm
2023-11-137103980010.240 ppm
2023-11-137104150010.300 ppm
2023-11-137104150011.24 ppm
2023-12-047127640010.900 ppm
2023-12-047127640011.20 ppm