Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Fitchburg Utility District 1 South

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.

 

148

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.734 ppm24240.531 ppm - 0.948 ppm
20190.752 ppm24240.525 ppm - 0.978 ppm
20200.645 ppm22220.0840 ppm - 0.840 ppm
20210.710 ppm28280.500 ppm - 0.980 ppm
20220.598 ppm24240.310 ppm - 0.944 ppm
20230.543 ppm26260.114 ppm - 0.840 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
2018-01-163628340010.890 ppm
2018-01-163628340010.948 ppm
2018-02-133667100010.641 ppm
2018-02-133667100010.680 ppm
2018-03-053692870010.620 ppm
2018-03-053692870010.675 ppm
2018-04-163764320010.691 ppm
2018-04-163764320010.780 ppm
2018-05-073800720010.720 ppm
2018-05-073800720010.732 ppm
2018-06-043857580010.710 ppm
2018-06-043857580010.803 ppm
2018-07-093925600010.531 ppm
2018-07-093925600010.700 ppm
2018-08-063987050010.825 ppm
2018-08-063987050010.910 ppm
2018-09-104060190010.754 ppm
2018-09-104060190010.870 ppm
2018-10-154142660010.708 ppm
2018-10-154142660010.730 ppm
2018-11-124191330010.596 ppm
2018-11-124191330010.850 ppm
2018-12-104232030010.590 ppm
2018-12-104232030010.653 ppm
2019-01-084266430010.655 ppm
2019-01-084266430010.740 ppm
2019-02-054300490010.525 ppm
2019-02-054300490010.740 ppm
2019-03-124349240010.691 ppm
2019-03-124349240010.750 ppm
2019-04-184412940010.648 ppm
2019-04-184412940010.860 ppm
2019-05-064437650010.658 ppm
2019-05-064437650010.880 ppm
2019-06-044494190010.780 ppm
2019-06-044494190010.955 ppm
2019-07-094562150010.750 ppm
2019-07-094562150010.978 ppm
2019-08-194643630010.710 ppm
2019-08-194643630010.752 ppm
2019-09-094681740010.640 ppm
2019-09-094681740010.733 ppm
2019-10-144760270010.710 ppm
2019-10-144760270010.710 ppm
2019-11-184818540010.720 ppm
2019-11-184818540010.757 ppm
2019-12-094849280010.750 ppm
2019-12-094849280010.959 ppm
2020-01-064878180010.663 ppm
2020-01-064878180010.810 ppm
2020-04-064994590010.644 ppm
2020-04-064994590010.820 ppm
2020-05-045027820010.585 ppm
2020-05-045027820010.840 ppm
2020-06-095086330010.636 ppm
2020-06-095086330010.780 ppm
2020-07-145144890010.659 ppm
2020-07-145144890010.760 ppm
2020-07-2912031560.0840 ppm
2020-07-2912031580.0860 ppm
2020-08-185204890010.677 ppm
2020-08-185204890010.740 ppm
2020-09-095243300010.581 ppm
2020-09-095243300010.800 ppm
2020-10-205320850010.707 ppm
2020-10-205320850010.730 ppm
2020-11-105353780010.660 ppm
2020-11-105353780010.671 ppm
2020-12-025383990010.467 ppm
2020-12-025383990010.780 ppm
2021-01-055422040010.556 ppm
2021-01-055422040010.620 ppm
2021-02-015454990010.633 ppm
2021-02-015454990010.780 ppm
2021-02-015454990010.633 ppm
2021-02-015454990010.780 ppm
2021-03-305536830010.571 ppm
2021-03-305536830010.720 ppm
2021-03-305536830010.571 ppm
2021-03-305536830010.720 ppm
2021-04-265581490010.710 ppm
2021-04-265581490010.853 ppm
2021-05-045597610010.579 ppm
2021-05-045597610010.810 ppm
2021-06-035649740010.712 ppm
2021-06-035649740010.980 ppm
2021-07-065703360010.556 ppm
2021-07-065703360010.870 ppm
2021-08-025754850010.730 ppm
2021-08-025754850010.883 ppm
2021-09-085822380010.518 ppm
2021-09-085822380010.910 ppm
2021-10-045872890010.500 ppm
2021-10-045872890010.879 ppm
2021-11-025925970010.638 ppm
2021-11-025925970010.740 ppm
2021-12-015964420010.600 ppm
2021-12-015964420010.833 ppm
2022-01-036002460010.320 ppm
2022-01-036002460010.771 ppm
2022-02-016038640010.840 ppm
2022-02-016038640010.944 ppm
2022-03-016074000010.360 ppm
2022-03-016074000010.552 ppm
2022-04-046119400010.490 ppm
2022-04-046119400010.739 ppm
2022-05-026166610010.310 ppm
2022-05-026166610010.591 ppm
2022-06-066230220010.480 ppm
2022-06-066230220010.715 ppm
2022-07-116295460010.572 ppm
2022-07-116295460010.580 ppm
2022-08-016340310010.550 ppm
2022-08-016340310010.760 ppm
2022-09-066404650010.493 ppm
2022-09-066404650010.680 ppm
2022-10-036460450010.676 ppm
2022-10-036460450010.790 ppm
2022-11-016510030010.465 ppm
2022-11-016510030010.540 ppm
2022-12-016552010010.510 ppm
2022-12-016552010010.626 ppm
2023-01-046593220010.551 ppm
2023-01-046593220010.660 ppm
2023-02-016627250010.720 ppm
2023-02-016627250010.735 ppm
2023-03-016662640010.496 ppm
2023-03-016662640010.500 ppm
2023-04-036708790010.700 ppm
2023-04-036708790010.714 ppm
2023-05-016757160010.240 ppm
2023-05-016757160010.518 ppm
2023-06-016813230010.680 ppm
2023-06-016813230010.712 ppm
2023-07-056867020010.400 ppm
2023-07-056867020010.452 ppm
2023-07-19CB08243-020.400 ppm
2023-07-19CB08243-050.580 ppm
2023-08-016920900010.765 ppm
2023-08-016920900010.840 ppm
2023-09-056981750010.114 ppm
2023-09-056981750010.200 ppm
2023-10-027036630010.574 ppm
2023-10-027036630010.610 ppm
2023-11-017087540010.375 ppm
2023-11-017087540010.460 ppm
2023-12-047128740010.500 ppm
2023-12-047128740010.620 ppm