Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Spring Green 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.

 

146

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.640 ppm24240.450 ppm - 0.710 ppm
20190.660 ppm24240.480 ppm - 0.780 ppm
20200.618 ppm22220.0550 ppm - 0.870 ppm
20210.682 ppm28280.610 ppm - 0.780 ppm
20220.761 ppm22220.600 ppm - 1.29 ppm
20230.784 ppm2624ND - 1.17 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
2018-01-173635110010.450 ppm
2018-01-173635110010.685 ppm
2018-02-213683320010.620 ppm
2018-02-213683320010.624 ppm
2018-03-193719150010.665 ppm
2018-03-193719150010.690 ppm
2018-04-183771530010.625 ppm
2018-04-183771530010.670 ppm
2018-05-213837000010.680 ppm
2018-05-213837000010.687 ppm
2018-06-253908950010.675 ppm
2018-06-253908950010.690 ppm
2018-07-193957010010.661 ppm
2018-07-193957010010.690 ppm
2018-08-224029830010.663 ppm
2018-08-224029830010.680 ppm
2018-09-244100330010.650 ppm
2018-09-244100330010.677 ppm
2018-10-164152140010.600 ppm
2018-10-164152140010.639 ppm
2018-11-154203100010.493 ppm
2018-11-154203100010.520 ppm
2018-12-184251660010.605 ppm
2018-12-184251660010.710 ppm
2019-01-284294530010.688 ppm
2019-01-284294530010.710 ppm
2019-02-254329140010.560 ppm
2019-02-254329140010.603 ppm
2019-03-124352150010.550 ppm
2019-03-124352150010.617 ppm
2019-04-114402080010.500 ppm
2019-04-114402080010.555 ppm
2019-05-134462610010.480 ppm
2019-05-134462610010.586 ppm
2019-06-104509880010.724 ppm
2019-06-104509880010.780 ppm
2019-07-154581680010.686 ppm
2019-07-154581680010.710 ppm
2019-08-124631400010.703 ppm
2019-08-124631400010.710 ppm
2019-09-094687380010.680 ppm
2019-09-094687380010.780 ppm
2019-10-094757420010.673 ppm
2019-10-094757420010.760 ppm
2019-11-134815460010.686 ppm
2019-11-134815460010.740 ppm
2019-12-114857030010.674 ppm
2019-12-114857030010.690 ppm
2020-01-144895430010.683 ppm
2020-01-144895430010.870 ppm
2020-04-145010000010.691 ppm
2020-04-145010000010.720 ppm
2020-04-1511833340.0550 ppm
2020-04-1511833370.0800 ppm
2020-05-195057560010.690 ppm
2020-05-195057560010.691 ppm
2020-06-095090210010.691 ppm
2020-06-095090210010.700 ppm
2020-07-155151460010.676 ppm
2020-07-155151460010.710 ppm
2020-08-105192780010.630 ppm
2020-08-105192780010.687 ppm
2020-09-145257640010.540 ppm
2020-09-145257640010.688 ppm
2020-10-135311230010.520 ppm
2020-10-135311230010.672 ppm
2020-11-105356190010.530 ppm
2020-11-105356190010.671 ppm
2020-12-155405870010.645 ppm
2020-12-155405870010.760 ppm
2021-01-125435170010.656 ppm
2021-01-125435170010.730 ppm
2021-02-235488330010.675 ppm
2021-02-235488330010.700 ppm
2021-02-235488330010.675 ppm
2021-02-235488330010.700 ppm
2021-03-085507520010.700 ppm
2021-03-085507520010.710 ppm
2021-03-085507520010.700 ppm
2021-03-085507520010.710 ppm
2021-04-205573920010.651 ppm
2021-04-205573920010.700 ppm
2021-05-245634100010.610 ppm
2021-05-245634100010.708 ppm
2021-06-285693450010.691 ppm
2021-06-285693450010.780 ppm
2021-07-265744260010.648 ppm
2021-07-265744260010.680 ppm
2021-08-305809580010.610 ppm
2021-08-305809580010.720 ppm
2021-09-285866160010.620 ppm
2021-09-285866160010.627 ppm
2021-10-255913770010.643 ppm
2021-10-255913770010.670 ppm
2021-11-175952760010.623 ppm
2021-11-175952760010.690 ppm
2021-12-215996960010.690 ppm
2021-12-215996960010.780 ppm
2022-01-276035680010.660 ppm
2022-01-276035680010.819 ppm
2022-02-216066960010.700 ppm
2022-02-216066960010.830 ppm
2022-03-236110250010.780 ppm
2022-03-236110250010.848 ppm
2022-04-276162300010.800 ppm
2022-04-276162300010.884 ppm
2022-05-256218620010.900 ppm
2022-05-256218620011.29 ppm
2022-06-296278760010.640 ppm
2022-06-296278760010.644 ppm
2022-07-276336590010.640 ppm
2022-07-276336590010.756 ppm
2022-08-296395420010.600 ppm
2022-08-296395420010.738 ppm
2022-09-276453600010.660 ppm
2022-09-276453600010.698 ppm
2022-10-316515190010.690 ppm
2022-10-316515190010.711 ppm
2022-12-146575490010.680 ppm
2022-12-146575490010.770 ppm
2023-01-116604790010.640 ppm
2023-01-116604790010.744 ppm
2023-02-156649440010.650 ppm
2023-02-156649440010.740 ppm
2023-03-166688360010.700 ppm
2023-03-166688360010.756 ppm
2023-03-281304000ND
2023-03-281304002ND
2023-04-256751130010.730 ppm
2023-04-256751130010.888 ppm
2023-05-306811190010.910 ppm
2023-05-306811190011.13 ppm
2023-06-276860850010.600 ppm
2023-06-276860850010.835 ppm
2023-07-216905950010.660 ppm
2023-07-216905950011.17 ppm
2023-08-226965600010.950 ppm
2023-08-226965600011.08 ppm
2023-09-217020800010.840 ppm
2023-09-217020800011.03 ppm
2023-10-267081530010.800 ppm
2023-10-267081530010.951 ppm
2023-11-297126020010.840 ppm
2023-11-297126020010.899 ppm
2023-12-277161120010.910 ppm
2023-12-277161120010.940 ppm