Fluoride
Brodhead Waterworks
Fluoride occurs naturally in surface and groundwater and is also added to drinking water by many water systems. Read More.
Fluoride has been promoted as a chemical that reduces dental cavities. Yet it is now well-established that fluoride primarily exerts its protective effects through topical mechanisms, such as sodium fluoride in toothpaste and mouthwash. In contrast, long-term ingestion of fluoride in water increases dental fluorosis, which includes mottling, pitting and weakening of the teeth. 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 fractures, although these effects may occur at lower doses.
Even fluoride levels of 0.7 ppm, the amount of fluoride in drinking water recommended by the U.S. Public Health Service, can result in too much fluoride for bottle-fed babies. EWG recommends that caregivers mix baby formula with fluoride-free water. The National Toxicology Program is investigating the potential for low doses of fluoride to alter thyroid function and childhood brain development.
Samples
Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)
Samples exceeding
health guidelines
Testing results - average by year
| Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 0.681 ppm | 26 | 26 | 0.1000 ppm - 0.950 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.696 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.550 ppm - 0.880 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.726 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.590 ppm - 1.000 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.803 ppm | 27 | 27 | 0.109 ppm - 3.99 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.733 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.600 ppm - 0.962 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.675 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.468 ppm - 0.850 ppm |
ppm = parts per million
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 4 ppm
ppm = parts per million
All test results
| Date | Lab ID | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-01-06 | 114805001 | 0.765 ppm |
| 2014-01-06 | 114805001 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2014-02-03 | 117973001 | 0.742 ppm |
| 2014-02-03 | 117973001 | 0.830 ppm |
| 2014-03-03 | 121249001 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2014-03-03 | 121249001 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2014-04-02 | 125683001 | 0.617 ppm |
| 2014-04-02 | 125683001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2014-05-05 | 130118001 | 0.485 ppm |
| 2014-05-05 | 130118001 | 0.520 ppm |
| 2014-06-02 | 135786001 | 0.880 ppm |
| 2014-06-02 | 135786001 | 0.950 ppm |
| 2014-07-01 | 142412001 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2014-07-01 | 142412001 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2014-08-04 | 148746001 | 0.827 ppm |
| 2014-08-04 | 148746001 | 0.890 ppm |
| 2014-08-26 | 153500001 | 0.1000 ppm |
| 2014-08-26 | 153499001 | 0.120 ppm |
| 2014-09-02 | 154287001 | 0.654 ppm |
| 2014-09-02 | 154287001 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2014-10-06 | 161442001 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2014-10-06 | 161442001 | 0.733 ppm |
| 2014-11-03 | 166362001 | 0.654 ppm |
| 2014-11-03 | 166362001 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2014-12-01 | 170143001 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2014-12-01 | 170143001 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2015-01-05 | 174059001 | 0.656 ppm |
| 2015-01-05 | 174059001 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2015-02-02 | 177628001 | 0.679 ppm |
| 2015-02-02 | 177628001 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2015-03-09 | 182322001 | 0.659 ppm |
| 2015-03-09 | 182322001 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2015-04-06 | 185990001 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2015-04-06 | 185990001 | 0.667 ppm |
| 2015-05-04 | 190700001 | 0.550 ppm |
| 2015-05-04 | 190700001 | 0.596 ppm |
| 2015-06-01 | 196432001 | 0.727 ppm |
| 2015-06-01 | 196432001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2015-07-06 | 203227001 | 0.562 ppm |
| 2015-07-06 | 203227001 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2015-08-03 | 208958001 | 0.765 ppm |
| 2015-08-03 | 208958001 | 0.880 ppm |
| 2015-09-08 | 215731001 | 0.630 ppm |
| 2015-09-08 | 215731001 | 0.678 ppm |
| 2015-10-05 | 221430001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2015-10-05 | 221430001 | 0.794 ppm |
| 2015-11-02 | 226260001 | 0.724 ppm |
| 2015-11-02 | 226260001 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2015-12-01 | 230382001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2015-12-01 | 230382001 | 0.718 ppm |
| 2016-01-04 | 234012001 | 0.664 ppm |
| 2016-01-04 | 234012001 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2016-02-01 | 237585001 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2016-02-01 | 237585001 | 0.793 ppm |
| 2016-03-01 | 241546001 | 0.681 ppm |
| 2016-03-01 | 241546001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2016-04-04 | 246330001 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2016-04-04 | 246330001 | 0.792 ppm |
| 2016-05-02 | 251506001 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2016-05-02 | 251506001 | 0.830 ppm |
| 2016-06-06 | 257902001 | 0.624 ppm |
| 2016-06-06 | 257902001 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2016-07-05 | 263699001 | 0.833 ppm |
| 2016-07-05 | 263699001 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2016-08-01 | 269217001 | 0.591 ppm |
| 2016-08-01 | 269217001 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2016-09-06 | 275370001 | 0.663 ppm |
| 2016-09-06 | 275370001 | 0.670 ppm |
| 2016-10-03 | 281360001 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2016-10-03 | 281360001 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2016-11-01 | 286559001 | 0.590 ppm |
| 2016-11-01 | 286559001 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2016-12-05 | 291005001 | 0.640 ppm |
| 2016-12-05 | 291005001 | 0.670 ppm |
| 2017-01-03 | 294512001 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2017-01-03 | 294512001 | 0.681 ppm |
| 2017-02-06 | 298445001 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2017-02-06 | 298445001 | 0.682 ppm |
| 2017-03-07 | 302727001 | 0.691 ppm |
| 2017-03-07 | 302727001 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2017-03-27 | 17C0980-01 | 1.23 ppm |
| 2017-03-27 | 17C0979-01 | 3.99 ppm |
| 2017-04-03 | 307053001 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2017-04-03 | 307053001 | 0.670 ppm |
| 2017-05-02 | 313081001 | 0.683 ppm |
| 2017-05-02 | 313081001 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2017-05-31 | 318668001 | 0.109 ppm |
| 2017-06-05 | 319234001 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2017-06-05 | 319234001 | 0.672 ppm |
| 2017-07-10 | 326611001 | 0.630 ppm |
| 2017-07-10 | 326611001 | 0.666 ppm |
| 2017-08-07 | 333502001 | 0.679 ppm |
| 2017-08-07 | 333502001 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2017-09-05 | 339470001 | 0.718 ppm |
| 2017-09-05 | 339470001 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2017-10-02 | 345973001 | 0.630 ppm |
| 2017-10-02 | 345973001 | 0.668 ppm |
| 2017-11-06 | 352364001 | 0.695 ppm |
| 2017-11-06 | 352364001 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2017-12-04 | 356867001 | 0.686 ppm |
| 2017-12-04 | 356867001 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2018-01-02 | 360943001 | 0.753 ppm |
| 2018-01-02 | 360943001 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2018-02-05 | 365190001 | 0.696 ppm |
| 2018-02-05 | 365190001 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2018-03-06 | 369615001 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2018-03-06 | 369615001 | 0.671 ppm |
| 2018-04-02 | 373734001 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2018-04-02 | 373734001 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2018-05-07 | 380003001 | 0.724 ppm |
| 2018-05-07 | 380003001 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2018-06-04 | 385658001 | 0.655 ppm |
| 2018-06-04 | 385658001 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2018-07-02 | 391795001 | 0.670 ppm |
| 2018-07-02 | 391795001 | 0.712 ppm |
| 2018-08-06 | 398676001 | 0.742 ppm |
| 2018-08-06 | 398676001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2018-09-04 | 404576001 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2018-09-04 | 404576001 | 0.703 ppm |
| 2018-10-01 | 411357001 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2018-10-01 | 411357001 | 0.654 ppm |
| 2018-11-05 | 417588001 | 0.900 ppm |
| 2018-11-05 | 417588001 | 0.962 ppm |
| 2018-12-03 | 421921001 | 0.804 ppm |
| 2018-12-03 | 421921001 | 0.910 ppm |
| 2019-01-07 | 426135001 | 0.597 ppm |
| 2019-01-07 | 426135001 | 0.630 ppm |
| 2019-02-04 | 429651001 | 0.540 ppm |
| 2019-02-04 | 429651001 | 0.561 ppm |
| 2019-03-04 | 433362001 | 0.663 ppm |
| 2019-03-04 | 433362001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2019-04-01 | 437780001 | 0.580 ppm |
| 2019-04-01 | 437780001 | 0.586 ppm |
| 2019-05-06 | 443732001 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2019-05-06 | 443732001 | 0.791 ppm |
| 2019-06-03 | 448938001 | 0.778 ppm |
| 2019-06-03 | 448938001 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2019-07-01 | 454740001 | 0.590 ppm |
| 2019-07-01 | 454740001 | 0.809 ppm |
| 2019-08-05 | 461114001 | 0.749 ppm |
| 2019-08-05 | 461114001 | 0.850 ppm |
| 2019-09-03 | 466979001 | 0.584 ppm |
| 2019-09-03 | 466979001 | 0.840 ppm |
| 2019-10-01 | 473535001 | 0.468 ppm |
| 2019-10-01 | 473535001 | 0.570 ppm |
| 2019-11-11 | 480626001 | 0.684 ppm |
| 2019-11-11 | 480626001 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2019-12-02 | 483603001 | 0.709 ppm |
| 2019-12-02 | 483603001 | 0.750 ppm |