Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Muscoda 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.

 

149

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20181.08 ppm24240.807 ppm - 1.37 ppm
20191.12 ppm24240.973 ppm - 1.32 ppm
20200.858 ppm22220.0500 ppm - 1.25 ppm
20210.778 ppm29290.120 ppm - 1.08 ppm
20220.695 ppm24240.504 ppm - 0.830 ppm
20230.554 ppm26260.110 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
2018-01-083619830010.957 ppm
2018-01-083619830011.23 ppm
2018-02-133669840011.000 ppm
2018-02-133669840011.04 ppm
2018-03-193719100011.02 ppm
2018-03-193719100011.22 ppm
2018-04-093753860011.06 ppm
2018-04-093753860011.18 ppm
2018-05-143821600010.996 ppm
2018-05-143821600011.11 ppm
2018-06-203900810010.829 ppm
2018-06-203900810011.16 ppm
2018-07-103936100010.807 ppm
2018-07-103936100010.960 ppm
2018-08-013981950011.02 ppm
2018-08-013981950011.20 ppm
2018-09-174084050011.08 ppm
2018-09-174084050011.22 ppm
2018-10-154146510011.04 ppm
2018-10-154146510011.21 ppm
2018-11-144201300011.13 ppm
2018-11-144201300011.37 ppm
2018-12-124242380011.02 ppm
2018-12-124242380011.11 ppm
2019-01-094272550011.02 ppm
2019-01-094272550011.16 ppm
2019-02-264330760011.08 ppm
2019-02-264330760011.31 ppm
2019-03-254371090011.07 ppm
2019-03-254371090011.20 ppm
2019-04-224417780011.000 ppm
2019-04-224417780011.000 ppm
2019-05-084451100011.14 ppm
2019-05-084451100011.32 ppm
2019-06-054502170011.02 ppm
2019-06-054502170011.21 ppm
2019-07-174583970010.980 ppm
2019-07-174583970011.02 ppm
2019-08-154641890011.05 ppm
2019-08-154641890011.09 ppm
2019-09-094687310011.08 ppm
2019-09-094687310011.26 ppm
2019-10-014739610011.10 ppm
2019-10-014739610011.18 ppm
2019-11-054800360011.05 ppm
2019-11-054800360011.28 ppm
2019-12-114858230010.973 ppm
2019-12-114858230011.29 ppm
2020-01-094887620011.03 ppm
2020-01-094887620011.18 ppm
2020-04-1320D0406-010.0500 ppm
2020-04-1320D0406-020.0800 ppm
2020-04-145010020011.14 ppm
2020-04-145010020011.25 ppm
2020-05-115042610010.990 ppm
2020-05-115042610011.09 ppm
2020-06-245115830011.03 ppm
2020-06-245115830011.10 ppm
2020-07-215160870010.718 ppm
2020-07-215160870010.950 ppm
2020-08-255219860010.670 ppm
2020-08-255219860010.840 ppm
2020-09-225273240010.707 ppm
2020-09-225273240011.08 ppm
2020-10-225328210010.619 ppm
2020-10-225328210010.760 ppm
2020-11-165365550010.745 ppm
2020-11-165365550010.930 ppm
2020-12-155407460010.790 ppm
2020-12-155407460011.12 ppm
2021-01-255449870010.668 ppm
2021-01-255449870010.800 ppm
2021-02-105472710010.722 ppm
2021-02-105472710010.940 ppm
2021-02-105472710010.722 ppm
2021-02-105472710010.940 ppm
2021-03-165522930010.736 ppm
2021-03-165522930010.960 ppm
2021-03-165522930010.736 ppm
2021-03-165522930010.960 ppm
2021-04-205576660010.707 ppm
2021-04-205576660010.880 ppm
2021-05-255638080010.811 ppm
2021-05-255638080011.08 ppm
2021-06-1621F0629-010.120 ppm
2021-06-215682800010.689 ppm
2021-06-215682800010.870 ppm
2021-07-075710390010.665 ppm
2021-07-075710390010.870 ppm
2021-08-235798420010.662 ppm
2021-08-235798420010.760 ppm
2021-09-275864140010.672 ppm
2021-09-275864140010.950 ppm
2021-10-255915060010.680 ppm
2021-10-255915060010.980 ppm
2021-11-225957930010.703 ppm
2021-11-225957930010.730 ppm
2021-12-275999670010.673 ppm
2021-12-275999670010.880 ppm
2022-01-246031210010.634 ppm
2022-01-246031210010.660 ppm
2022-02-076049150010.504 ppm
2022-02-076049150010.720 ppm
2022-03-026079210010.517 ppm
2022-03-026079210010.700 ppm
2022-04-136141200010.639 ppm
2022-04-136141200010.800 ppm
2022-05-236212710010.702 ppm
2022-05-236212710010.760 ppm
2022-06-276274450010.670 ppm
2022-06-276274450010.810 ppm
2022-07-256331400010.667 ppm
2022-07-256331400010.830 ppm
2022-08-036350460010.656 ppm
2022-08-036350460010.670 ppm
2022-09-216442520010.688 ppm
2022-09-216442520010.700 ppm
2022-10-186493360010.698 ppm
2022-10-186493360010.750 ppm
2022-11-216543570010.667 ppm
2022-11-216543570010.830 ppm
2022-12-196579940010.626 ppm
2022-12-196579940010.780 ppm
2023-01-246620600010.584 ppm
2023-01-246620600010.840 ppm
2023-02-146647840010.456 ppm
2023-02-146647840010.620 ppm
2023-03-216695880010.612 ppm
2023-03-216695880010.800 ppm
2023-04-176736130010.317 ppm
2023-04-176736130010.620 ppm
2023-05-256807750010.651 ppm
2023-05-256807750010.760 ppm
2023-06-076826800010.181 ppm
2023-06-076826800010.620 ppm
2023-06-1223F0340-010.110 ppm
2023-06-1223F0340-020.140 ppm
2023-07-176894020010.464 ppm
2023-07-176894020010.780 ppm
2023-08-146948960010.476 ppm
2023-08-146948960010.600 ppm
2023-09-197014590010.459 ppm
2023-09-197014590010.780 ppm
2023-10-237076970010.499 ppm
2023-10-237076970010.680 ppm
2023-11-157112600010.549 ppm
2023-11-157112600010.580 ppm
2023-12-187153120010.607 ppm
2023-12-187153120010.610 ppm