Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Galesville 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.

 

74

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.634 ppm24240.486 ppm - 0.750 ppm
20190.646 ppm24240.381 ppm - 0.864 ppm
20200.582 ppm22220.300 ppm - 0.720 ppm
20210.488 ppm220.426 ppm - 0.550 ppm
2022N/A00N/A
20230.240 ppm220.230 ppm - 0.250 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
2018-01-163633740010.502 ppm
2018-01-163633740010.720 ppm
2018-02-273687980010.486 ppm
2018-02-273687980010.650 ppm
2018-03-133711950010.600 ppm
2018-03-133711950010.740 ppm
2018-04-103758150010.585 ppm
2018-04-103758150010.630 ppm
2018-05-153827290010.653 ppm
2018-05-153827290010.680 ppm
2018-06-193898960010.637 ppm
2018-06-193898960010.750 ppm
2018-07-103936000010.535 ppm
2018-07-103936000010.620 ppm
2018-08-144012340010.593 ppm
2018-08-144012340010.630 ppm
2018-09-114070810010.750 ppm
2018-09-114070810010.607 ppm
2018-10-234161740010.630 ppm
2018-10-234161740010.521 ppm
2018-11-194208760010.644 ppm
2018-11-194208760010.750 ppm
2018-12-114239860010.710 ppm
2018-12-114239860010.604 ppm
2019-01-084270860010.545 ppm
2019-01-084270860010.660 ppm
2019-02-054303990010.381 ppm
2019-02-054303990010.750 ppm
2019-03-194363490010.405 ppm
2019-03-194363490010.680 ppm
2019-04-164410790010.531 ppm
2019-04-164410790010.600 ppm
2019-05-074447840010.511 ppm
2019-05-074447840010.720 ppm
2019-06-044499880010.642 ppm
2019-06-044499880010.710 ppm
2019-07-094570340010.864 ppm
2019-07-094570340010.680 ppm
2019-08-064622040010.705 ppm
2019-08-064622040010.760 ppm
2019-09-104693920010.710 ppm
2019-09-104693920010.736 ppm
2019-10-154766370010.604 ppm
2019-10-154766370010.650 ppm
2019-11-194825670010.750 ppm
2019-11-194825670010.769 ppm
2019-12-104856060010.467 ppm
2019-12-104856060010.680 ppm
2020-01-144895420010.659 ppm
2020-01-144895420010.670 ppm
2020-04-145010010010.599 ppm
2020-04-145010010010.720 ppm
2020-05-195057510010.558 ppm
2020-05-195057510010.640 ppm
2020-06-025078010010.710 ppm
2020-06-025078010010.501 ppm
2020-07-145148690010.710 ppm
2020-07-145148690010.720 ppm
2020-08-115197710010.599 ppm
2020-08-115197710010.680 ppm
2020-09-085246310010.430 ppm
2020-09-085246310010.464 ppm
2020-09-1520I0540-010.300 ppm
2020-09-1520I0540-020.540 ppm
2020-10-065298760010.530 ppm
2020-10-065298760010.620 ppm
2020-11-105357240010.500 ppm
2020-11-105357240010.512 ppm
2020-12-085396330010.541 ppm
2020-12-085396330010.600 ppm
2021-01-125438540010.426 ppm
2021-01-125438540010.550 ppm
2023-03-2823C0847-010.230 ppm
2023-04-0423D0074-010.250 ppm