Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Whitehall 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.

 

146

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.761 ppm24240.389 ppm - 1.000 ppm
20190.825 ppm24240.700 ppm - 1.000 ppm
20200.817 ppm21210.280 ppm - 0.943 ppm
20210.813 ppm28280.620 ppm - 0.979 ppm
20220.796 ppm24240.355 ppm - 0.888 ppm
20230.725 ppm25250.341 ppm - 0.880 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
2018-01-173635150010.800 ppm
2018-01-173635150010.853 ppm
2018-02-123666890010.809 ppm
2018-02-123666890010.900 ppm
2018-03-073701200010.797 ppm
2018-03-073701200010.800 ppm
2018-04-103758170010.389 ppm
2018-04-103758170010.400 ppm
2018-05-083810340010.600 ppm
2018-05-083810340010.793 ppm
2018-06-113879090010.771 ppm
2018-06-113879090010.800 ppm
2018-07-093930480010.700 ppm
2018-07-093930480010.807 ppm
2018-08-134007700010.754 ppm
2018-08-134007700010.800 ppm
2018-09-054054040010.777 ppm
2018-09-054054040010.800 ppm
2018-10-094136030010.700 ppm
2018-10-094136030010.747 ppm
2018-11-134198750010.930 ppm
2018-11-134198750011.000 ppm
2018-12-054228580010.700 ppm
2018-12-054228580010.843 ppm
2019-01-084270910010.785 ppm
2019-01-084270910010.900 ppm
2019-02-134314200010.800 ppm
2019-02-134314200010.908 ppm
2019-03-124352210010.700 ppm
2019-03-124352210010.778 ppm
2019-04-094398070010.800 ppm
2019-04-094398070010.840 ppm
2019-05-084451070010.800 ppm
2019-05-084451070010.829 ppm
2019-06-204532610010.795 ppm
2019-06-204532610010.800 ppm
2019-07-104570280010.800 ppm
2019-07-104570280010.869 ppm
2019-08-084625780010.800 ppm
2019-08-084625780010.800 ppm
2019-09-044678760010.911 ppm
2019-09-044678760011.000 ppm
2019-10-284788090010.700 ppm
2019-10-284788090010.909 ppm
2019-11-134815510010.800 ppm
2019-11-134815510010.934 ppm
2019-12-044845790010.741 ppm
2019-12-044845790010.800 ppm
2020-01-084885840010.800 ppm
2020-01-084885840010.943 ppm
2020-04-064997330010.800 ppm
2020-04-064997330010.927 ppm
2020-05-065036610010.892 ppm
2020-05-065036610010.900 ppm
2020-06-035080180010.732 ppm
2020-06-035080180010.800 ppm
2020-07-075135050010.800 ppm
2020-07-075135050010.922 ppm
2020-08-115196300010.900 ppm
2020-08-115196300010.923 ppm
2020-08-1712077220.280 ppm
2020-09-025234280010.694 ppm
2020-09-025234280010.800 ppm
2020-10-065298820010.800 ppm
2020-10-065298820010.897 ppm
2020-11-125360170010.870 ppm
2020-11-125360170010.901 ppm
2020-12-025386590010.770 ppm
2020-12-025386590010.814 ppm
2021-01-065427870010.660 ppm
2021-01-065427870010.677 ppm
2021-02-105472670010.701 ppm
2021-02-105472670010.800 ppm
2021-02-105472670010.701 ppm
2021-02-105472670010.800 ppm
2021-03-085507440010.750 ppm
2021-03-085507440010.915 ppm
2021-03-085507440010.750 ppm
2021-03-085507440010.915 ppm
2021-04-075552170010.700 ppm
2021-04-075552170010.741 ppm
2021-05-055603840010.800 ppm
2021-05-055603840010.936 ppm
2021-06-095663500010.900 ppm
2021-06-095663500010.979 ppm
2021-07-135723650010.620 ppm
2021-07-135723650010.740 ppm
2021-08-115779080010.740 ppm
2021-08-115779080010.961 ppm
2021-09-085825580010.800 ppm
2021-09-085825580010.933 ppm
2021-10-125894270010.900 ppm
2021-10-125894270010.908 ppm
2021-11-105942100010.887 ppm
2021-11-105942100010.900 ppm
2021-12-075975120010.800 ppm
2021-12-075975120010.846 ppm
2022-01-136020410010.800 ppm
2022-01-136020410010.830 ppm
2022-02-086051170010.799 ppm
2022-02-086051170010.800 ppm
2022-03-016076250010.800 ppm
2022-03-016076250010.878 ppm
2022-04-126139160010.800 ppm
2022-04-126139160010.862 ppm
2022-05-046178160010.800 ppm
2022-05-046178160010.835 ppm
2022-06-076239810010.355 ppm
2022-06-076239810010.800 ppm
2022-07-136308940010.800 ppm
2022-07-136308940010.872 ppm
2022-08-036349370010.800 ppm
2022-08-036349370010.818 ppm
2022-09-136425020010.800 ppm
2022-09-136425020010.804 ppm
2022-10-056470230010.800 ppm
2022-10-056470230010.819 ppm
2022-11-086525260010.700 ppm
2022-11-086525260010.836 ppm
2022-12-076563120010.800 ppm
2022-12-076563120010.888 ppm
2023-01-116604770010.830 ppm
2023-01-116604770010.863 ppm
2023-02-086639210010.341 ppm
2023-02-086639210010.480 ppm
2023-03-026666170010.810 ppm
2023-03-026666170010.828 ppm
2023-04-126729850010.855 ppm
2023-04-126729850010.880 ppm
2023-05-036766810010.630 ppm
2023-05-036766810010.698 ppm
2023-06-076826810010.700 ppm
2023-06-076826810010.807 ppm
2023-06-14CB06548-010.440 ppm
2023-07-116882610010.610 ppm
2023-07-116882610010.795 ppm
2023-08-096940830010.610 ppm
2023-08-096940830010.823 ppm
2023-09-066988660010.771 ppm
2023-09-066988660010.800 ppm
2023-10-047046230010.700 ppm
2023-10-047046230010.785 ppm
2023-11-077099020010.785 ppm
2023-11-077099020010.800 ppm
2023-12-067137180010.700 ppm
2023-12-067137180010.792 ppm