Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Loyal 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.

 

152

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.634 ppm24240.479 ppm - 0.800 ppm
20190.705 ppm24240.551 ppm - 0.800 ppm
20200.562 ppm24240.200 ppm - 0.720 ppm
20210.630 ppm28280.560 ppm - 0.740 ppm
20220.647 ppm24240.440 ppm - 0.795 ppm
20230.681 ppm28280.120 ppm - 0.790 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
2018-01-093623630010.610 ppm
2018-01-093623630010.635 ppm
2018-02-143671730010.577 ppm
2018-02-143671730010.700 ppm
2018-03-193719110010.479 ppm
2018-03-193719110010.560 ppm
2018-04-113761040010.564 ppm
2018-04-113761040010.570 ppm
2018-05-023797760010.480 ppm
2018-05-023797760010.560 ppm
2018-06-193898880010.558 ppm
2018-06-193898880010.580 ppm
2018-07-093930250010.672 ppm
2018-07-093930250010.680 ppm
2018-08-063991570010.627 ppm
2018-08-063991570010.730 ppm
2018-09-254105690010.739 ppm
2018-09-254105690010.800 ppm
2018-10-024122450010.738 ppm
2018-10-024122450010.800 ppm
2018-11-054180840010.661 ppm
2018-11-054180840010.700 ppm
2018-12-124242400010.580 ppm
2018-12-124242400010.604 ppm
2019-01-144278420010.737 ppm
2019-01-144278420010.800 ppm
2019-02-204325320010.740 ppm
2019-02-204325320010.750 ppm
2019-03-184359630010.730 ppm
2019-03-184359630010.734 ppm
2019-04-084394350010.690 ppm
2019-04-084394350010.704 ppm
2019-05-084451110010.693 ppm
2019-05-084451110010.790 ppm
2019-06-054502180010.683 ppm
2019-06-054502180010.760 ppm
2019-07-084562450010.551 ppm
2019-07-084562450010.670 ppm
2019-08-054617050010.690 ppm
2019-08-054617050010.750 ppm
2019-09-034675090010.765 ppm
2019-09-034675090010.800 ppm
2019-10-014739600010.660 ppm
2019-10-014739600010.670 ppm
2019-11-054800250010.597 ppm
2019-11-054800250010.630 ppm
2019-12-094852040010.658 ppm
2019-12-094852040010.660 ppm
2020-01-084885850010.593 ppm
2020-01-084885850010.680 ppm
2020-04-075001520010.589 ppm
2020-04-075001520010.630 ppm
2020-04-2320D0780-020.200 ppm
2020-04-2320D0780-030.220 ppm
2020-04-2320D0780-010.500 ppm
2020-04-2320D0780-040.650 ppm
2020-05-045030640010.534 ppm
2020-05-045030640010.610 ppm
2020-06-015074110010.499 ppm
2020-06-015074110010.540 ppm
2020-07-145148540010.482 ppm
2020-07-145148540010.600 ppm
2020-08-035179840010.549 ppm
2020-08-035179840010.560 ppm
2020-09-015231110010.553 ppm
2020-09-015231110010.580 ppm
2020-10-055295280010.633 ppm
2020-10-055295280010.720 ppm
2020-11-025342830010.610 ppm
2020-11-025342830010.680 ppm
2020-12-015383420010.630 ppm
2020-12-015383420010.641 ppm
2021-01-045420040010.632 ppm
2021-01-045420040010.680 ppm
2021-02-025462530010.570 ppm
2021-02-025462530010.581 ppm
2021-02-025462530010.570 ppm
2021-02-025462530010.581 ppm
2021-03-025498850010.620 ppm
2021-03-025498850010.634 ppm
2021-03-025498850010.620 ppm
2021-03-025498850010.634 ppm
2021-04-065550100010.630 ppm
2021-04-065550100010.639 ppm
2021-05-035597480010.640 ppm
2021-05-035597480010.653 ppm
2021-06-075655660010.625 ppm
2021-06-075655660010.680 ppm
2021-07-265745700010.600 ppm
2021-07-265745700010.610 ppm
2021-08-095770810010.590 ppm
2021-08-095770810010.630 ppm
2021-09-075822090010.560 ppm
2021-09-075822090010.610 ppm
2021-10-045877320010.580 ppm
2021-10-045877320010.638 ppm
2021-11-085936720010.670 ppm
2021-11-085936720010.716 ppm
2021-12-135983720010.716 ppm
2021-12-135983720010.740 ppm
2022-01-036003890010.720 ppm
2022-01-036003890010.728 ppm
2022-02-086051250010.650 ppm
2022-02-086051250010.693 ppm
2022-03-016076210010.657 ppm
2022-03-016076210010.670 ppm
2022-04-046121530010.668 ppm
2022-04-046121530010.710 ppm
2022-05-026169030010.590 ppm
2022-05-026169030010.634 ppm
2022-06-066234960010.480 ppm
2022-06-066234960010.524 ppm
2022-07-056286760010.620 ppm
2022-07-056286760010.762 ppm
2022-08-016343190010.610 ppm
2022-08-016343190010.632 ppm
2022-09-126420670010.440 ppm
2022-09-126420670010.535 ppm
2022-10-036464250010.690 ppm
2022-10-036464250010.795 ppm
2022-11-076520960010.600 ppm
2022-11-076520960010.743 ppm
2022-12-056556780010.610 ppm
2022-12-056556780010.758 ppm
2023-01-096598180010.720 ppm
2023-01-096598180010.750 ppm
2023-02-066634440010.740 ppm
2023-02-066634440010.781 ppm
2023-03-076675200010.750 ppm
2023-03-076675200010.753 ppm
2023-04-036716060010.663 ppm
2023-04-036716060010.720 ppm
2023-05-016760440010.710 ppm
2023-05-016760440010.730 ppm
2023-05-0823E0244-050.120 ppm
2023-05-0823E0244-040.440 ppm
2023-05-0823E0244-010.620 ppm
2023-05-0823E0244-020.720 ppm
2023-06-056820810010.710 ppm
2023-06-056820810010.733 ppm
2023-07-106879200010.710 ppm
2023-07-106879200010.746 ppm
2023-08-086938400010.763 ppm
2023-08-086938400010.790 ppm
2023-09-116996420010.720 ppm
2023-09-116996420010.740 ppm
2023-10-097051710010.585 ppm
2023-10-097051710010.650 ppm
2023-11-077099050010.645 ppm
2023-11-077099050010.720 ppm
2023-12-047131010010.646 ppm
2023-12-047131010010.700 ppm