Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Abbotsford 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.

 

149

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.670 ppm24240.538 ppm - 0.830 ppm
20190.694 ppm24240.491 ppm - 0.961 ppm
20200.665 ppm20200.563 ppm - 0.750 ppm
20210.676 ppm28280.596 ppm - 0.831 ppm
20220.729 ppm24240.620 ppm - 0.820 ppm
20230.773 ppm29290.600 ppm - 2.20 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
2018-01-233641210010.568 ppm
2018-01-233641210010.670 ppm
2018-02-123666840010.554 ppm
2018-02-123666840010.630 ppm
2018-03-123708190010.555 ppm
2018-03-123708190010.610 ppm
2018-04-163765850010.600 ppm
2018-04-163765850010.633 ppm
2018-05-143821500010.649 ppm
2018-05-143821500010.670 ppm
2018-06-183893240010.611 ppm
2018-06-183893240010.660 ppm
2018-07-163948110010.780 ppm
2018-07-163948110010.826 ppm
2018-08-204022040010.814 ppm
2018-08-204022040010.830 ppm
2018-09-174084060010.730 ppm
2018-09-174084060010.747 ppm
2018-10-154146590010.733 ppm
2018-10-154146590010.760 ppm
2018-11-194206360010.620 ppm
2018-11-194206360010.652 ppm
2018-12-104236150010.538 ppm
2018-12-104236150010.640 ppm
2019-01-144278380010.658 ppm
2019-01-144278380010.680 ppm
2019-02-254329110010.586 ppm
2019-02-254329110010.630 ppm
2019-03-254371100010.622 ppm
2019-03-254371100010.670 ppm
2019-04-174413870010.540 ppm
2019-04-174413870010.760 ppm
2019-05-074447760010.491 ppm
2019-05-074447760010.600 ppm
2019-06-054502100010.900 ppm
2019-06-054502100010.961 ppm
2019-07-104570270010.693 ppm
2019-07-104570270010.720 ppm
2019-08-064621960010.630 ppm
2019-08-064621960010.659 ppm
2019-09-104693940010.632 ppm
2019-09-104693940010.670 ppm
2019-10-154766380010.640 ppm
2019-10-154766380010.800 ppm
2019-11-064803280010.765 ppm
2019-11-064803280010.810 ppm
2019-12-114858240010.760 ppm
2019-12-114858240010.771 ppm
2020-01-084886290010.704 ppm
2020-01-084886290010.710 ppm
2020-04-085002860010.680 ppm
2020-04-085002860010.721 ppm
2020-05-055035040010.670 ppm
2020-05-055035040010.679 ppm
2020-06-025077950010.688 ppm
2020-06-025077950010.750 ppm
2020-07-135144950010.671 ppm
2020-07-135144950010.720 ppm
2020-08-105192740010.645 ppm
2020-08-105192740010.708 ppm
2020-09-085242830010.590 ppm
2020-09-085242830010.690 ppm
2020-10-075301220010.563 ppm
2020-10-075301220010.655 ppm
2020-11-035346150010.600 ppm
2020-11-035346150010.626 ppm
2020-12-015383330010.577 ppm
2020-12-015383330010.660 ppm
2021-01-055425500010.660 ppm
2021-01-055425500010.690 ppm
2021-02-025462550010.635 ppm
2021-02-025462550010.720 ppm
2021-02-025462550010.635 ppm
2021-02-025462550010.720 ppm
2021-03-025498830010.648 ppm
2021-03-025498830010.750 ppm
2021-03-025498830010.648 ppm
2021-03-025498830010.750 ppm
2021-04-075552230010.613 ppm
2021-04-075552230010.740 ppm
2021-05-045601380010.645 ppm
2021-05-045601380010.700 ppm
2021-06-085660680010.635 ppm
2021-06-085660680010.700 ppm
2021-07-075711130010.800 ppm
2021-07-075711130010.831 ppm
2021-08-105775690010.700 ppm
2021-08-105775690010.701 ppm
2021-09-015814400010.596 ppm
2021-09-015814400010.630 ppm
2021-10-125894640010.600 ppm
2021-10-125894640010.690 ppm
2021-11-035930840010.620 ppm
2021-11-035930840010.621 ppm
2021-12-085978890010.621 ppm
2021-12-085978890010.640 ppm
2022-01-056009970010.700 ppm
2022-01-056009970010.731 ppm
2022-02-026043810010.668 ppm
2022-02-026043810010.770 ppm
2022-03-086087910010.691 ppm
2022-03-086087910010.710 ppm
2022-04-056126380010.710 ppm
2022-04-056126380010.720 ppm
2022-05-046178150010.721 ppm
2022-05-046178150010.820 ppm
2022-06-086242530010.620 ppm
2022-06-086242530010.685 ppm
2022-07-066290130010.760 ppm
2022-07-066290130010.766 ppm
2022-08-106363580010.712 ppm
2022-08-106363580010.720 ppm
2022-09-066410070010.780 ppm
2022-09-066410070010.784 ppm
2022-10-056470580010.658 ppm
2022-10-056470580010.680 ppm
2022-11-096527430010.720 ppm
2022-11-096527430010.784 ppm
2022-12-076563850010.794 ppm
2022-12-076563850010.800 ppm
2023-01-046594380010.644 ppm
2023-01-046594380010.650 ppm
2023-01-18CB00580-010.600 ppm
2023-01-18CB00580-111.20 ppm
2023-01-18CB00580-062.20 ppm
2023-02-016628420010.740 ppm
2023-02-016628420010.747 ppm
2023-03-086676930010.619 ppm
2023-03-086676930010.670 ppm
2023-03-086676940010.670 ppm
2023-03-086676940010.698 ppm
2023-04-056718170010.636 ppm
2023-04-056718170010.680 ppm
2023-05-036769490010.800 ppm
2023-05-036769490010.857 ppm
2023-06-076827500010.642 ppm
2023-06-076827500010.720 ppm
2023-07-056870660010.840 ppm
2023-07-056870660010.898 ppm
2023-08-026927350010.828 ppm
2023-08-026927350010.830 ppm
2023-09-066988920010.640 ppm
2023-09-066988920010.641 ppm
2023-10-047046390010.630 ppm
2023-10-047046390010.665 ppm
2023-11-157113130010.618 ppm
2023-11-157113130010.690 ppm
2023-12-137149710010.636 ppm
2023-12-137149710010.740 ppm