Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Adams 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.

 

148

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.676 ppm22220.587 ppm - 0.730 ppm
20190.628 ppm24240.113 ppm - 0.771 ppm
20200.619 ppm22220.209 ppm - 1.10 ppm
20210.572 ppm28280.380 ppm - 0.760 ppm
20220.661 ppm24240.540 ppm - 0.750 ppm
20230.698 ppm2826ND - 2.32 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
2018-01-023611190010.650 ppm
2018-01-023611190010.680 ppm
2018-03-073701310010.700 ppm
2018-03-073701310010.702 ppm
2018-04-113761030010.683 ppm
2018-04-113761030010.730 ppm
2018-05-143821450010.587 ppm
2018-05-143821450010.700 ppm
2018-06-123883760010.610 ppm
2018-06-123883760010.682 ppm
2018-07-113939200010.680 ppm
2018-07-113939200010.704 ppm
2018-08-083998810010.679 ppm
2018-08-083998810010.700 ppm
2018-09-114070910010.663 ppm
2018-09-114070910010.690 ppm
2018-10-104139190010.650 ppm
2018-10-104139190010.679 ppm
2018-11-064185940010.660 ppm
2018-11-064185940010.690 ppm
2018-12-124242370010.650 ppm
2018-12-124242370010.694 ppm
2019-01-084270640010.674 ppm
2019-01-084270640010.680 ppm
2019-02-114310500010.650 ppm
2019-02-114310500010.746 ppm
2019-03-134354120010.701 ppm
2019-03-134354120010.740 ppm
2019-04-084394460010.390 ppm
2019-04-084394460010.500 ppm
2019-05-134458170010.580 ppm
2019-05-134458170010.719 ppm
2019-06-114513840010.650 ppm
2019-06-114513840010.723 ppm
2019-07-104570220010.770 ppm
2019-07-104570220010.771 ppm
2019-08-144640320010.515 ppm
2019-08-144640320010.540 ppm
2019-09-094687270010.700 ppm
2019-09-094687270010.763 ppm
2019-10-024743020010.730 ppm
2019-10-024743020010.753 ppm
2019-11-124812240010.690 ppm
2019-11-124812240010.733 ppm
2019-12-044845980010.113 ppm
2019-12-044845980010.240 ppm
2020-01-074884670010.209 ppm
2020-01-074884670010.290 ppm
2020-04-064997180010.634 ppm
2020-04-064997180010.780 ppm
2020-05-055034980010.670 ppm
2020-05-055034980010.726 ppm
2020-06-015074160010.670 ppm
2020-06-015074160010.681 ppm
2020-07-075135130010.420 ppm
2020-07-075135130010.579 ppm
2020-08-045183440010.712 ppm
2020-08-045183440010.730 ppm
2020-08-174624700.780 ppm
2020-08-174624751.10 ppm
2020-09-015231070010.420 ppm
2020-09-015231070010.436 ppm
2020-10-065301230010.655 ppm
2020-10-065301230010.700 ppm
2020-11-035346220010.703 ppm
2020-11-035346220010.730 ppm
2020-12-075391820010.466 ppm
2020-12-075391820010.520 ppm
2021-01-045421320010.717 ppm
2021-01-045421320010.760 ppm
2021-02-025462560010.630 ppm
2021-02-025462560010.646 ppm
2021-02-025462560010.630 ppm
2021-02-025462560010.646 ppm
2021-03-015495540010.433 ppm
2021-03-015495540010.520 ppm
2021-03-015495540010.433 ppm
2021-03-015495540010.520 ppm
2021-04-055545970010.380 ppm
2021-04-055545970010.545 ppm
2021-05-035597550010.470 ppm
2021-05-035597550010.510 ppm
2021-06-075655590010.610 ppm
2021-06-075655590010.734 ppm
2021-07-125718940010.500 ppm
2021-07-125718940010.550 ppm
2021-08-025758360010.660 ppm
2021-08-025758360010.714 ppm
2021-09-135833310010.461 ppm
2021-09-135833310010.550 ppm
2021-10-115889430010.500 ppm
2021-10-115889430010.532 ppm
2021-11-015924130010.640 ppm
2021-11-015924130010.754 ppm
2021-12-065971820010.448 ppm
2021-12-065971820010.510 ppm
2022-01-036003870010.710 ppm
2022-01-036003870010.740 ppm
2022-02-076049220010.640 ppm
2022-02-076049220010.686 ppm
2022-03-076083600010.691 ppm
2022-03-076083600010.750 ppm
2022-04-046121510010.665 ppm
2022-04-046121510010.670 ppm
2022-05-036175200010.540 ppm
2022-05-036175200010.623 ppm
2022-06-066235270010.540 ppm
2022-06-066235270010.706 ppm
2022-07-116300340010.580 ppm
2022-07-116300340010.632 ppm
2022-08-016343200010.570 ppm
2022-08-016343200010.629 ppm
2022-09-126420830010.650 ppm
2022-09-126420830010.708 ppm
2022-10-036464170010.610 ppm
2022-10-036464170010.709 ppm
2022-11-076520940010.700 ppm
2022-11-076520940010.710 ppm
2022-12-056556540010.706 ppm
2022-12-056556540010.710 ppm
2023-01-096599130010.140 ppm
2023-01-096599130010.290 ppm
2023-02-066634360010.688 ppm
2023-02-066634360010.730 ppm
2023-03-066674370010.620 ppm
2023-03-066674370010.677 ppm
2023-04-036713550010.653 ppm
2023-04-036713550010.710 ppm
2023-05-016760410010.718 ppm
2023-05-016760410010.730 ppm
2023-06-056821030010.710 ppm
2023-06-056821030010.733 ppm
2023-06-12683563001ND
2023-06-12683562001ND
2023-06-266857000010.668 ppm
2023-06-266856990012.32 ppm
2023-07-106877090010.590 ppm
2023-07-106877090010.697 ppm
2023-08-076934420010.820 ppm
2023-08-076934420010.883 ppm
2023-09-116996510010.827 ppm
2023-09-116996510010.830 ppm
2023-10-027039140010.700 ppm
2023-10-027039140010.709 ppm
2023-11-067094590010.840 ppm
2023-11-067094590010.843 ppm
2023-12-187153130010.700 ppm
2023-12-187153130010.712 ppm