Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Rothschild 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
20180.702 ppm24240.650 ppm - 0.760 ppm
20190.713 ppm24240.593 ppm - 0.874 ppm
20200.663 ppm22220.0490 ppm - 0.850 ppm
20210.693 ppm28280.607 ppm - 0.768 ppm
20220.671 ppm24240.611 ppm - 0.852 ppm
20230.665 ppm26260.170 ppm - 1.30 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
2018-01-093625140010.730 ppm
2018-01-093625140010.752 ppm
2018-02-013651170010.700 ppm
2018-02-013651170010.700 ppm
2018-03-013691300010.710 ppm
2018-03-013691300010.751 ppm
2018-04-053748650010.680 ppm
2018-04-053748650010.760 ppm
2018-05-073812980010.690 ppm
2018-05-073812980010.731 ppm
2018-06-073872930010.688 ppm
2018-06-073872930010.700 ppm
2018-07-093936470010.700 ppm
2018-07-093936470010.714 ppm
2018-08-023985370010.680 ppm
2018-08-023985370010.680 ppm
2018-09-054070850010.661 ppm
2018-09-054070850010.710 ppm
2018-10-034127050010.730 ppm
2018-10-034127050010.734 ppm
2018-11-124198690010.650 ppm
2018-11-124198690010.664 ppm
2018-12-044230710010.665 ppm
2018-12-044230710010.670 ppm
2019-01-074272610010.593 ppm
2019-01-074272610010.680 ppm
2019-02-084307260010.710 ppm
2019-02-084307260010.770 ppm
2019-03-054342920010.684 ppm
2019-03-054342920010.690 ppm
2019-04-164412790010.658 ppm
2019-04-164412790010.700 ppm
2019-05-074451090010.740 ppm
2019-05-074451090010.874 ppm
2019-06-114514790010.690 ppm
2019-06-114514790010.847 ppm
2019-07-024554630010.605 ppm
2019-07-024554630010.670 ppm
2019-08-074626350010.680 ppm
2019-08-074626350010.693 ppm
2019-09-024678740010.690 ppm
2019-09-024678740010.732 ppm
2019-10-084757320010.750 ppm
2019-10-084757320010.773 ppm
2019-11-064805190010.680 ppm
2019-11-064805190010.777 ppm
2019-12-034847040010.700 ppm
2019-12-034847040010.734 ppm
2020-01-104888110010.640 ppm
2020-01-104888110010.850 ppm
2020-04-085003630010.683 ppm
2020-04-085003630010.700 ppm
2020-05-045034950010.690 ppm
2020-05-045034950010.782 ppm
2020-06-035081260010.690 ppm
2020-06-035081260010.829 ppm
2020-07-065134970010.680 ppm
2020-07-065134970010.714 ppm
2020-08-055187950010.670 ppm
2020-08-055187950010.748 ppm
2020-08-1012057340.0490 ppm
2020-08-1012057300.160 ppm
2020-09-025236450010.690 ppm
2020-09-025236450010.771 ppm
2020-10-065301550010.680 ppm
2020-10-065301550010.694 ppm
2020-11-045349360010.666 ppm
2020-11-045349360010.710 ppm
2020-12-015386130010.680 ppm
2020-12-015386130010.802 ppm
2021-01-075428930010.710 ppm
2021-01-075428930010.753 ppm
2021-02-025465160010.690 ppm
2021-02-025465160010.768 ppm
2021-02-025465160010.690 ppm
2021-02-025465160010.768 ppm
2021-03-015500500010.636 ppm
2021-03-015500500010.660 ppm
2021-03-015500500010.636 ppm
2021-03-015500500010.660 ppm
2021-04-055546120010.660 ppm
2021-04-055546120010.690 ppm
2021-05-035601580010.640 ppm
2021-05-035601580010.715 ppm
2021-06-075661150010.676 ppm
2021-06-075661150010.680 ppm
2021-07-075713020010.631 ppm
2021-07-075713020010.680 ppm
2021-08-045766860010.607 ppm
2021-08-045766860010.700 ppm
2021-09-095827860010.720 ppm
2021-09-095827860010.746 ppm
2021-10-125894490010.690 ppm
2021-10-125894490010.702 ppm
2021-11-025931920010.721 ppm
2021-11-025931920010.740 ppm
2021-12-015967930010.709 ppm
2021-12-015967930010.720 ppm
2022-01-046010010010.650 ppm
2022-01-046010010010.717 ppm
2022-02-036045540010.678 ppm
2022-02-036045540010.680 ppm
2022-03-216108900010.640 ppm
2022-03-216108900010.852 ppm
2022-04-046129360010.636 ppm
2022-04-046129360010.690 ppm
2022-05-026175170010.614 ppm
2022-05-026175170010.680 ppm
2022-06-026229230010.630 ppm
2022-06-026229230010.650 ppm
2022-07-066293560010.611 ppm
2022-07-066293560010.660 ppm
2022-08-026350500010.640 ppm
2022-08-026350500010.700 ppm
2022-09-076414810010.690 ppm
2022-09-076414810010.720 ppm
2022-10-066473600010.640 ppm
2022-10-066473600010.669 ppm
2022-11-076525830010.641 ppm
2022-11-076525830010.680 ppm
2022-12-066561870010.662 ppm
2022-12-066561870010.670 ppm
2023-01-096606790010.700 ppm
2023-01-096606790010.706 ppm
2023-02-016630070010.686 ppm
2023-02-016630070010.740 ppm
2023-03-016666530010.690 ppm
2023-03-016666530010.700 ppm
2023-04-046718650010.651 ppm
2023-04-046718650010.710 ppm
2023-05-016764840010.670 ppm
2023-05-016764840010.680 ppm
2023-05-22CB05354-011.30 ppm
2023-06-076829100010.690 ppm
2023-06-076829100010.762 ppm
2023-07-126890150010.629 ppm
2023-07-126890150010.690 ppm
2023-08-016928250010.591 ppm
2023-08-016928250010.730 ppm
2023-08-28CB10306-010.170 ppm
2023-09-066991720010.557 ppm
2023-09-066991720010.680 ppm
2023-10-037047350010.576 ppm
2023-10-037047350010.640 ppm
2023-11-137112300010.515 ppm
2023-11-137112300010.640 ppm
2023-12-047140030010.553 ppm
2023-12-047140030010.630 ppm