Fluoride
Neillsville 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 | 0.670 ppm | 25 | 25 | 0.130 ppm - 0.855 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.680 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.522 ppm - 0.769 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.693 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.598 ppm - 0.760 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.707 ppm | 25 | 25 | 0.150 ppm - 0.820 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.740 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.657 ppm - 0.800 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.692 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.491 ppm - 0.794 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-01-07 | 115146001 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2014-01-07 | 115146001 | 0.766 ppm |
| 2014-02-10 | 118918001 | 0.640 ppm |
| 2014-02-10 | 118918001 | 0.699 ppm |
| 2014-03-05 | 122025001 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2014-03-05 | 122025001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2014-04-15 | 127868001 | 0.577 ppm |
| 2014-04-15 | 127868001 | 0.580 ppm |
| 2014-05-14 | 133067001 | 0.590 ppm |
| 2014-05-14 | 133067001 | 0.620 ppm |
| 2014-06-04 | 137041001 | 0.737 ppm |
| 2014-06-04 | 137041001 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2014-06-10 | 4060321-01 | 0.130 ppm |
| 2014-07-09 | 144356001 | 0.590 ppm |
| 2014-07-09 | 144356001 | 0.649 ppm |
| 2014-08-26 | 153618001 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2014-08-26 | 153618001 | 0.804 ppm |
| 2014-09-09 | 156203001 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2014-09-09 | 156203001 | 0.855 ppm |
| 2014-10-06 | 161682001 | 0.640 ppm |
| 2014-10-06 | 161682001 | 0.812 ppm |
| 2014-11-18 | 169084001 | 0.590 ppm |
| 2014-11-18 | 169084001 | 0.817 ppm |
| 2014-12-02 | 170667001 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2014-12-02 | 170667001 | 0.763 ppm |
| 2015-01-12 | 175171001 | 0.708 ppm |
| 2015-01-12 | 175171001 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2015-02-10 | 179356001 | 0.630 ppm |
| 2015-02-10 | 179356001 | 0.678 ppm |
| 2015-03-10 | 182999001 | 0.668 ppm |
| 2015-03-10 | 182999001 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2015-04-14 | 188077001 | 0.701 ppm |
| 2015-04-14 | 188077001 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2015-05-06 | 192072001 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2015-05-06 | 192072001 | 0.721 ppm |
| 2015-06-02 | 197311001 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2015-06-02 | 197311001 | 0.734 ppm |
| 2015-07-13 | 205284001 | 0.522 ppm |
| 2015-07-13 | 205284001 | 0.640 ppm |
| 2015-08-10 | 211287001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2015-08-10 | 211287001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2015-09-14 | 217372001 | 0.599 ppm |
| 2015-09-14 | 217372001 | 0.640 ppm |
| 2015-10-26 | 225519001 | 0.633 ppm |
| 2015-10-26 | 225519001 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2015-11-16 | 228885001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2015-11-16 | 228885001 | 0.769 ppm |
| 2015-12-08 | 232050001 | 0.610 ppm |
| 2015-12-08 | 232050001 | 0.715 ppm |
| 2016-01-19 | 236323001 | 0.707 ppm |
| 2016-01-19 | 236323001 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2016-02-08 | 238844001 | 0.707 ppm |
| 2016-02-08 | 238844001 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2016-03-09 | 243487001 | 0.736 ppm |
| 2016-03-09 | 243487001 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2016-04-12 | 248695001 | 0.598 ppm |
| 2016-04-12 | 248695001 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2016-05-09 | 253377001 | 0.671 ppm |
| 2016-05-09 | 253377001 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2016-06-15 | 260794001 | 0.688 ppm |
| 2016-06-15 | 260794001 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2016-07-19 | 267192001 | 0.648 ppm |
| 2016-07-19 | 267192001 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2016-08-10 | 271619001 | 0.664 ppm |
| 2016-08-10 | 271619001 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2016-09-19 | 278716001 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2016-09-19 | 278716001 | 0.684 ppm |
| 2016-10-12 | 283860001 | 0.616 ppm |
| 2016-10-12 | 283860001 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2016-11-14 | 289071001 | 0.688 ppm |
| 2016-11-14 | 289071001 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2016-12-06 | 291861001 | 0.725 ppm |
| 2016-12-06 | 291861001 | 0.760 ppm |
| 2017-01-18 | 296791001 | 0.706 ppm |
| 2017-01-18 | 296791001 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2017-02-14 | 300259001 | 0.731 ppm |
| 2017-02-14 | 300259001 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2017-03-20 | 305243001 | 0.737 ppm |
| 2017-03-20 | 305243001 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2017-04-25 | 311952001 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2017-04-25 | 311952001 | 0.760 ppm |
| 2017-05-16 | 316411001 | 0.737 ppm |
| 2017-05-16 | 316411001 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2017-06-20 | 323465001 | 0.757 ppm |
| 2017-06-20 | 323465001 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2017-07-19 | 330193001 | 0.709 ppm |
| 2017-07-19 | 330193001 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2017-07-25 | 17G0915-01 | 0.150 ppm |
| 2017-08-15 | 336297001 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2017-08-15 | 336297001 | 0.742 ppm |
| 2017-09-11 | 341371001 | 0.441 ppm |
| 2017-09-11 | 341371001 | 0.490 ppm |
| 2017-10-17 | 349779001 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2017-10-17 | 349779001 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2017-11-14 | 354703001 | 0.728 ppm |
| 2017-11-14 | 354703001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2017-12-04 | 357437001 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2017-12-04 | 357437001 | 0.799 ppm |
| 2018-01-23 | 364163001 | 0.758 ppm |
| 2018-01-23 | 364163001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2018-02-12 | 366986001 | 0.728 ppm |
| 2018-02-12 | 366986001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2018-03-05 | 369676001 | 0.787 ppm |
| 2018-03-05 | 369676001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2018-04-11 | 376107001 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2018-04-11 | 376107001 | 0.756 ppm |
| 2018-05-16 | 383027001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2018-05-16 | 383027001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2018-06-12 | 388365001 | 0.678 ppm |
| 2018-06-12 | 388365001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2018-07-16 | 394917001 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2018-07-16 | 394917001 | 0.760 ppm |
| 2018-08-14 | 401236001 | 0.682 ppm |
| 2018-08-14 | 401236001 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2018-09-04 | 405279001 | 0.687 ppm |
| 2018-09-04 | 405279001 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2018-10-15 | 414662001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2018-10-15 | 414662001 | 0.744 ppm |
| 2018-11-06 | 418582001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2018-11-06 | 418582001 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2018-12-10 | 423688001 | 0.657 ppm |
| 2018-12-10 | 423688001 | 0.706 ppm |
| 2019-01-08 | 427065001 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2019-01-08 | 427065001 | 0.689 ppm |
| 2019-02-13 | 431450001 | 0.590 ppm |
| 2019-02-13 | 431450001 | 0.649 ppm |
| 2019-03-05 | 434111001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2019-03-05 | 434111001 | 0.738 ppm |
| 2019-04-08 | 439428001 | 0.640 ppm |
| 2019-04-08 | 439428001 | 0.688 ppm |
| 2019-05-14 | 446252001 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2019-05-14 | 446252001 | 0.755 ppm |
| 2019-06-04 | 449996001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2019-06-04 | 449996001 | 0.752 ppm |
| 2019-07-15 | 457801001 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2019-07-15 | 457801001 | 0.785 ppm |
| 2019-08-06 | 462191001 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2019-08-06 | 462191001 | 0.778 ppm |
| 2019-09-09 | 468849001 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2019-09-09 | 468849001 | 0.766 ppm |
| 2019-10-15 | 476696001 | 0.707 ppm |
| 2019-10-15 | 476696001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2019-11-05 | 480128001 | 0.676 ppm |
| 2019-11-05 | 480128001 | 0.794 ppm |
| 2019-12-03 | 484342001 | 0.491 ppm |
| 2019-12-03 | 484342001 | 0.500 ppm |