Fluoride
Whitewater 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.
175
Samples
2
Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)
0
Samples exceeding
health guidelines
Testing results - average by year
| Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 1.18 ppm | 31 | 31 | 0.134 ppm - 14.0 ppm |
| 2015 | 1.13 ppm | 28 | 28 | 0.590 ppm - 7.20 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.764 ppm | 28 | 28 | 0.410 ppm - 1.30 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.776 ppm | 32 | 32 | 0.140 ppm - 1.50 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.766 ppm | 28 | 28 | 0.590 ppm - 1.26 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.731 ppm | 28 | 28 | 0.499 ppm - 1.000 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-01-15 | 116355001 | 1.08 ppm |
| 2014-01-15 | 116355001 | 1.11 ppm |
| 2014-02-19 | 120127001 | 0.570 ppm |
| 2014-02-19 | 120127001 | 0.893 ppm |
| 2014-03-04 | 773350 | 0.430 ppm |
| 2014-03-04 | 773352 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2014-03-04 | 773348 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2014-03-11 | 122604001 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2014-03-11 | 122604001 | 1.09 ppm |
| 2014-04-03 | 125940001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2014-04-03 | 125940001 | 0.873 ppm |
| 2014-05-06 | 130586001 | 0.410 ppm |
| 2014-05-06 | 130586001 | 0.722 ppm |
| 2014-06-02 | 135784001 | 0.420 ppm |
| 2014-06-02 | 135784001 | 0.513 ppm |
| 2014-07-16 | 145651001 | 0.896 ppm |
| 2014-07-16 | 145651001 | 0.940 ppm |
| 2014-07-31 | 807462 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2014-07-31 | 807457 | 14.0 ppm |
| 2014-08-13 | 151088001 | 0.590 ppm |
| 2014-08-13 | 151088001 | 0.843 ppm |
| 2014-09-03 | 154525001 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2014-09-03 | 154525001 | 0.873 ppm |
| 2014-10-15 | 163742001 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2014-10-15 | 163742001 | 1.05 ppm |
| 2014-10-16 | 826127 | 0.180 ppm |
| 2014-10-29 | 165993001 | 0.134 ppm |
| 2014-11-18 | 168846001 | 1.07 ppm |
| 2014-11-18 | 168846001 | 1.15 ppm |
| 2014-12-09 | 171692001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2014-12-09 | 171692001 | 0.825 ppm |
| 2015-01-14 | 175673001 | 0.645 ppm |
| 2015-01-14 | 175673001 | 0.880 ppm |
| 2015-02-11 | 179378001 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2015-02-11 | 179378001 | 1.14 ppm |
| 2015-02-18 | 844249 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2015-03-10 | 182661001 | 0.830 ppm |
| 2015-03-10 | 182661001 | 1.15 ppm |
| 2015-04-07 | 186446001 | 0.763 ppm |
| 2015-04-07 | 186446001 | 0.850 ppm |
| 2015-05-12 | 192762001 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2015-05-12 | 192762001 | 0.778 ppm |
| 2015-06-01 | 863168 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2015-06-15 | 199435001 | 0.970 ppm |
| 2015-06-15 | 199435001 | 1.19 ppm |
| 2015-07-16 | 206208001 | 0.590 ppm |
| 2015-07-16 | 206208001 | 0.757 ppm |
| 2015-08-12 | 211289001 | 0.640 ppm |
| 2015-08-12 | 211289001 | 0.768 ppm |
| 2015-08-25 | 878842 | 7.20 ppm |
| 2015-09-09 | 216300001 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2015-09-09 | 216300001 | 0.947 ppm |
| 2015-10-08 | 222783001 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2015-10-08 | 222783001 | 0.896 ppm |
| 2015-11-11 | 228157001 | 0.870 ppm |
| 2015-11-11 | 228157001 | 0.993 ppm |
| 2015-12-02 | 230803001 | 0.900 ppm |
| 2015-12-02 | 230803001 | 1.26 ppm |
| 2015-12-14 | 897969 | 1.40 ppm |
| 2016-01-12 | 235704001 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2016-01-12 | 235704001 | 0.846 ppm |
| 2016-01-19 | 902198 | 1.30 ppm |
| 2016-02-09 | 238757001 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2016-02-09 | 238757001 | 0.857 ppm |
| 2016-03-07 | 242331001 | 0.890 ppm |
| 2016-03-07 | 242331001 | 0.981 ppm |
| 2016-04-06 | 247299001 | 0.520 ppm |
| 2016-04-06 | 247299001 | 0.734 ppm |
| 2016-04-19 | 916906 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2016-05-03 | 251921001 | 0.570 ppm |
| 2016-05-03 | 251921001 | 0.714 ppm |
| 2016-06-07 | 258564001 | 0.530 ppm |
| 2016-06-07 | 258564001 | 0.685 ppm |
| 2016-07-12 | 265253001 | 0.570 ppm |
| 2016-07-12 | 265253001 | 0.670 ppm |
| 2016-07-13 | 933280 | 0.760 ppm |
| 2016-08-10 | 271400001 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2016-08-10 | 271400001 | 0.877 ppm |
| 2016-09-06 | 275369001 | 0.410 ppm |
| 2016-09-06 | 275369001 | 0.822 ppm |
| 2016-10-04 | 281862001 | 0.580 ppm |
| 2016-10-04 | 281862001 | 0.706 ppm |
| 2016-10-11 | 952771 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2016-11-08 | 287855001 | 0.580 ppm |
| 2016-11-08 | 287855001 | 0.687 ppm |
| 2016-12-13 | 292674001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2016-12-13 | 292674001 | 1.12 ppm |
| 2017-01-10 | 295653001 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2017-01-10 | 295653001 | 0.747 ppm |
| 2017-02-07 | 298838001 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2017-02-07 | 298838001 | 0.940 ppm |
| 2017-03-01 | 301924001 | 0.640 ppm |
| 2017-03-01 | 301924001 | 0.687 ppm |
| 2017-03-06 | 976497 | 0.140 ppm |
| 2017-03-06 | 976494 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2017-03-06 | 976505 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2017-03-06 | 976509 | 0.930 ppm |
| 2017-03-06 | 976500 | 1.50 ppm |
| 2017-04-11 | 308981001 | 0.570 ppm |
| 2017-04-11 | 308981001 | 0.832 ppm |
| 2017-05-02 | 313082001 | 0.880 ppm |
| 2017-05-02 | 313082001 | 1.12 ppm |
| 2017-06-06 | 995760 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2017-06-14 | 321801001 | 0.269 ppm |
| 2017-06-14 | 321801001 | 0.500 ppm |
| 2017-07-11 | 327282001 | 0.719 ppm |
| 2017-07-11 | 327282001 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2017-07-24 | 1006695 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2017-08-15 | 335713001 | 0.850 ppm |
| 2017-08-15 | 335713001 | 0.974 ppm |
| 2017-09-12 | 341381001 | 0.550 ppm |
| 2017-09-12 | 341381001 | 0.811 ppm |
| 2017-10-10 | 347699001 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2017-10-10 | 347699001 | 0.960 ppm |
| 2017-11-16 | 355017001 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2017-11-16 | 355017001 | 0.967 ppm |
| 2017-11-28 | 1031085 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2017-12-05 | 357496001 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2017-12-05 | 357496001 | 0.978 ppm |
| 2018-01-17 | 363154001 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2018-01-17 | 363154001 | 1.26 ppm |
| 2018-01-30 | 1039119 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2018-02-13 | 366685001 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2018-02-13 | 366685001 | 1.01 ppm |
| 2018-03-12 | 370810001 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2018-03-12 | 370810001 | 0.733 ppm |
| 2018-04-10 | 375396001 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2018-04-10 | 375396001 | 0.847 ppm |
| 2018-04-23 | 1051376 | 0.870 ppm |
| 2018-05-08 | 380524001 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2018-05-08 | 380524001 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2018-06-07 | 387047001 | 0.590 ppm |
| 2018-06-07 | 387047001 | 0.661 ppm |
| 2018-07-18 | 395358001 | 0.666 ppm |
| 2018-07-18 | 395358001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2018-08-07 | 1072175 | 0.950 ppm |
| 2018-08-09 | 400013001 | 0.670 ppm |
| 2018-08-09 | 400013001 | 0.670 ppm |
| 2018-09-12 | 407174001 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2018-09-12 | 407174001 | 0.696 ppm |
| 2018-10-10 | 413613001 | 0.590 ppm |
| 2018-10-10 | 413613001 | 0.665 ppm |
| 2018-10-22 | 1088318 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2018-11-13 | 419373001 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2018-11-13 | 419373001 | 0.786 ppm |
| 2018-12-13 | 424273001 | 0.625 ppm |
| 2018-12-13 | 424273001 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2019-01-10 | 427257001 | 0.670 ppm |
| 2019-01-10 | 427257001 | 0.673 ppm |
| 2019-02-14 | 431419001 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2019-02-14 | 431419001 | 0.775 ppm |
| 2019-02-25 | 1106610 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2019-03-14 | 435443001 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2019-03-14 | 435443001 | 0.823 ppm |
| 2019-04-11 | 440031001 | 0.510 ppm |
| 2019-04-11 | 440031001 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2019-04-23 | 1117101 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2019-05-14 | 445823001 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2019-05-14 | 445823001 | 0.761 ppm |
| 2019-06-11 | 450997001 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2019-06-11 | 450997001 | 0.787 ppm |
| 2019-07-09 | 456247001 | 0.640 ppm |
| 2019-07-09 | 456247001 | 0.900 ppm |
| 2019-08-06 | 461710001 | 0.880 ppm |
| 2019-08-06 | 461710001 | 0.995 ppm |
| 2019-08-26 | 1143694 | 0.570 ppm |
| 2019-09-10 | 468739001 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2019-09-10 | 468739001 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2019-10-08 | 475067001 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2019-10-08 | 475067001 | 0.981 ppm |
| 2019-10-29 | 1158069 | 0.590 ppm |
| 2019-11-19 | 482223001 | 0.623 ppm |
| 2019-11-19 | 482223001 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2019-12-09 | 484931001 | 0.499 ppm |
| 2019-12-09 | 484931001 | 0.610 ppm |