Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Mauston 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
20180.737 ppm24240.563 ppm - 0.970 ppm
20190.832 ppm24240.700 ppm - 1.16 ppm
20200.701 ppm23230.0600 ppm - 0.920 ppm
20210.779 ppm28280.691 ppm - 0.930 ppm
20220.745 ppm24240.570 ppm - 0.910 ppm
20230.674 ppm27270.140 ppm - 0.910 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
2018-01-083619790010.702 ppm
2018-01-083619790010.790 ppm
2018-02-083661810010.690 ppm
2018-02-083661810010.703 ppm
2018-03-213724820010.734 ppm
2018-03-213724820010.740 ppm
2018-04-113760990010.687 ppm
2018-04-113760990010.810 ppm
2018-05-223841600010.696 ppm
2018-05-223841600010.790 ppm
2018-06-063868710010.702 ppm
2018-06-063868710010.730 ppm
2018-07-253970070010.563 ppm
2018-07-253970070010.620 ppm
2018-08-214024590010.723 ppm
2018-08-214024590010.970 ppm
2018-09-254105720010.650 ppm
2018-09-254105720010.662 ppm
2018-10-234161800010.740 ppm
2018-10-234161800010.762 ppm
2018-11-204208820010.785 ppm
2018-11-204208820010.860 ppm
2018-12-184251640010.717 ppm
2018-12-184251640010.870 ppm
2019-01-094272600010.800 ppm
2019-01-094272600010.870 ppm
2019-02-054304100010.700 ppm
2019-02-054304100010.870 ppm
2019-03-194363440010.779 ppm
2019-03-194363440010.940 ppm
2019-04-244424060010.844 ppm
2019-04-244424060011.16 ppm
2019-05-224478410010.790 ppm
2019-05-224478410010.809 ppm
2019-06-194531110010.820 ppm
2019-06-194531110010.824 ppm
2019-07-234594270010.719 ppm
2019-07-234594270010.760 ppm
2019-08-204650910010.711 ppm
2019-08-204650910010.740 ppm
2019-09-104694050010.700 ppm
2019-09-104694050010.778 ppm
2019-10-224778600010.844 ppm
2019-10-224778600010.850 ppm
2019-11-054800330010.890 ppm
2019-11-054800330010.923 ppm
2019-12-034843240010.910 ppm
2019-12-034843240010.929 ppm
2020-01-214903230010.817 ppm
2020-01-214903230010.920 ppm
2020-04-075001550010.830 ppm
2020-04-075001550010.853 ppm
2020-05-055032350010.880 ppm
2020-05-055032350010.904 ppm
2020-06-015074080010.770 ppm
2020-06-015074080010.800 ppm
2020-07-015124760010.784 ppm
2020-07-015124760010.830 ppm
2020-07-1620G0593-020.0600 ppm
2020-07-1620G0593-010.0700 ppm
2020-07-1620G0593-030.0900 ppm
2020-08-045183470010.690 ppm
2020-08-045183470010.758 ppm
2020-09-025234250010.751 ppm
2020-09-025234250010.850 ppm
2020-10-055295360010.650 ppm
2020-10-055295360010.750 ppm
2020-11-045347240010.774 ppm
2020-11-045347240010.810 ppm
2020-12-015380850010.700 ppm
2020-12-015380850010.779 ppm
2021-01-055425460010.730 ppm
2021-01-055425460010.774 ppm
2021-02-035464720010.771 ppm
2021-02-035464720010.870 ppm
2021-02-035464720010.771 ppm
2021-02-035464720010.870 ppm
2021-03-035500920010.746 ppm
2021-03-035500920010.930 ppm
2021-03-035500920010.746 ppm
2021-03-035500920010.930 ppm
2021-04-055545890010.742 ppm
2021-04-055545890010.850 ppm
2021-05-035593880010.780 ppm
2021-05-035593880010.790 ppm
2021-06-015646030010.751 ppm
2021-06-015646030010.860 ppm
2021-07-015701780010.742 ppm
2021-07-015701780010.810 ppm
2021-08-045763180010.711 ppm
2021-08-045763180010.770 ppm
2021-09-085825760010.713 ppm
2021-09-085825760010.740 ppm
2021-10-115887820010.691 ppm
2021-10-115887820010.730 ppm
2021-11-035929850010.697 ppm
2021-11-035929850010.770 ppm
2021-12-065971450010.745 ppm
2021-12-065971450010.790 ppm
2022-01-186025250010.737 ppm
2022-01-186025250010.850 ppm
2022-02-026043540010.724 ppm
2022-02-026043540010.850 ppm
2022-03-016079590010.728 ppm
2022-03-016079590010.910 ppm
2022-04-066128110010.707 ppm
2022-04-066128110010.760 ppm
2022-05-036175390010.712 ppm
2022-05-036175390010.760 ppm
2022-06-066235300010.687 ppm
2022-06-066235300010.830 ppm
2022-07-116303490010.726 ppm
2022-07-116303490010.740 ppm
2022-08-086357490010.690 ppm
2022-08-086357490010.780 ppm
2022-09-076411990010.570 ppm
2022-09-076411990010.658 ppm
2022-10-036464920010.679 ppm
2022-10-036464920010.740 ppm
2022-11-096527920010.702 ppm
2022-11-096527920010.760 ppm
2022-12-066560260010.715 ppm
2022-12-066560260010.870 ppm
2023-01-046594420010.734 ppm
2023-01-046594420010.910 ppm
2023-02-076636590010.741 ppm
2023-02-076636590010.760 ppm
2023-02-2812942580.140 ppm
2023-02-2812942610.160 ppm
2023-02-2812942520.180 ppm
2023-03-076674210010.723 ppm
2023-03-076674210010.810 ppm
2023-04-116727800010.734 ppm
2023-04-116727800010.820 ppm
2023-05-096779740010.752 ppm
2023-05-096779740010.790 ppm
2023-06-066824690010.680 ppm
2023-06-066824690010.717 ppm
2023-07-106877130010.650 ppm
2023-07-106877130010.729 ppm
2023-08-086938320010.740 ppm
2023-08-086938320010.779 ppm
2023-09-056985900010.710 ppm
2023-09-056985900010.734 ppm
2023-10-027039600010.674 ppm
2023-10-027039600010.690 ppm
2023-11-067094630010.620 ppm
2023-11-067094630010.725 ppm
2023-12-047131070010.728 ppm
2023-12-047131070010.770 ppm