Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

West Salem 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.

 

150

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.657 ppm24240.530 ppm - 0.740 ppm
20190.688 ppm24240.585 ppm - 0.756 ppm
20200.638 ppm23230.430 ppm - 0.746 ppm
20210.702 ppm28280.638 ppm - 0.750 ppm
20220.698 ppm24240.630 ppm - 0.760 ppm
20230.663 ppm27270.440 ppm - 0.752 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
2018-01-083625810010.600 ppm
2018-01-083625810010.631 ppm
2018-02-053658920010.648 ppm
2018-02-053658920010.670 ppm
2018-03-053702090010.721 ppm
2018-03-053702090010.740 ppm
2018-04-023746320010.674 ppm
2018-04-023746320010.690 ppm
2018-05-143829570010.636 ppm
2018-05-143829570010.660 ppm
2018-06-043872150010.590 ppm
2018-06-043872150010.644 ppm
2018-07-093937660010.630 ppm
2018-07-093937660010.697 ppm
2018-08-063998970010.668 ppm
2018-08-063998970010.700 ppm
2018-09-104070750010.675 ppm
2018-09-104070750010.720 ppm
2018-10-084135800010.646 ppm
2018-10-084135800010.670 ppm
2018-11-054185610010.630 ppm
2018-11-054185610010.636 ppm
2018-12-034228470010.530 ppm
2018-12-034228470010.659 ppm
2019-01-144282490010.585 ppm
2019-01-144282490010.610 ppm
2019-02-184325290010.680 ppm
2019-02-184325290010.703 ppm
2019-03-044340460010.670 ppm
2019-03-044340460010.710 ppm
2019-04-084398080010.660 ppm
2019-04-084398080010.756 ppm
2019-05-064458160010.710 ppm
2019-05-064458160010.714 ppm
2019-06-134519250010.680 ppm
2019-06-134519250010.686 ppm
2019-07-114572520010.710 ppm
2019-07-114572520010.710 ppm
2019-08-074626710010.660 ppm
2019-08-074626710010.704 ppm
2019-09-124699670010.700 ppm
2019-09-124699670010.714 ppm
2019-10-094766310010.709 ppm
2019-10-094766310010.710 ppm
2019-11-124817830010.670 ppm
2019-11-124817830010.696 ppm
2019-12-054859840010.660 ppm
2019-12-054859840010.716 ppm
2020-01-094888320010.680 ppm
2020-01-094888320010.746 ppm
2020-04-225025340010.600 ppm
2020-04-225025340010.695 ppm
2020-05-265068370010.669 ppm
2020-05-265068370010.670 ppm
2020-06-0320F0131-030.430 ppm
2020-06-0320F0131-010.460 ppm
2020-06-0320F0131-020.670 ppm
2020-06-235118430010.672 ppm
2020-06-235118430010.690 ppm
2020-07-225170780010.660 ppm
2020-07-225170780010.673 ppm
2020-08-115213410010.520 ppm
2020-08-115213410010.530 ppm
2020-09-235278810010.658 ppm
2020-09-235278810010.700 ppm
2020-10-055301170010.580 ppm
2020-10-055301170010.658 ppm
2020-11-045349620010.640 ppm
2020-11-045349620010.676 ppm
2020-12-085405900010.680 ppm
2020-12-085405900010.707 ppm
2021-01-055428940010.638 ppm
2021-01-055428940010.670 ppm
2021-02-025465390010.699 ppm
2021-02-025465390010.720 ppm
2021-02-025465390010.699 ppm
2021-02-025465390010.720 ppm
2021-03-025502590010.716 ppm
2021-03-025502590010.730 ppm
2021-03-025502590010.716 ppm
2021-03-025502590010.730 ppm
2021-04-065554120010.660 ppm
2021-04-065554120010.665 ppm
2021-05-045605200010.714 ppm
2021-05-045605200010.720 ppm
2021-06-025651540010.685 ppm
2021-06-025651540010.700 ppm
2021-07-065713500010.640 ppm
2021-07-065713500010.700 ppm
2021-08-045767240010.714 ppm
2021-08-045767240010.720 ppm
2021-09-015815650010.682 ppm
2021-09-015815650010.690 ppm
2021-10-055886180010.724 ppm
2021-10-055886180010.750 ppm
2021-11-025933800010.716 ppm
2021-11-025933800010.740 ppm
2021-12-015968260010.690 ppm
2021-12-015968260010.710 ppm
2022-01-056022720010.660 ppm
2022-01-056022720010.690 ppm
2022-02-046051230010.670 ppm
2022-02-046051230010.698 ppm
2022-03-096101250010.708 ppm
2022-03-096101250010.720 ppm
2022-04-076131540010.726 ppm
2022-04-076131540010.740 ppm
2022-05-056180640010.700 ppm
2022-05-056180640010.712 ppm
2022-06-036229240010.650 ppm
2022-06-036229240010.667 ppm
2022-07-076293740010.650 ppm
2022-07-076293740010.699 ppm
2022-08-046352870010.714 ppm
2022-08-046352870010.760 ppm
2022-09-016406770010.715 ppm
2022-09-016406770010.760 ppm
2022-10-136485960010.698 ppm
2022-10-136485960010.740 ppm
2022-11-036520290010.630 ppm
2022-11-036520290010.665 ppm
2022-12-096574980010.681 ppm
2022-12-096574980010.710 ppm
2023-01-056596310010.645 ppm
2023-01-056596310010.730 ppm
2023-02-026639240010.629 ppm
2023-02-026639240010.690 ppm
2023-02-0923B0296-010.600 ppm
2023-02-1623B0478-010.530 ppm
2023-02-2323B0667-010.440 ppm
2023-03-026666630010.642 ppm
2023-03-026666630010.730 ppm
2023-04-136736150010.610 ppm
2023-04-136736150010.670 ppm
2023-05-116783860010.633 ppm
2023-05-116783860010.650 ppm
2023-06-016817130010.620 ppm
2023-06-016817130010.642 ppm
2023-07-206905980010.655 ppm
2023-07-206905980010.670 ppm
2023-08-106944490010.660 ppm
2023-08-106944490010.677 ppm
2023-09-076991660010.720 ppm
2023-09-076991660010.752 ppm
2023-10-057050640010.690 ppm
2023-10-057050640010.735 ppm
2023-11-027091180010.730 ppm
2023-11-027091180010.734 ppm
2023-12-077139980010.687 ppm
2023-12-077139980010.730 ppm