Fluoride
Weston Municipal Utilities
Fluoride occurs naturally in surface and groundwater and is also added to drinking water by many water systems. Read More.
Fluoride has been promoted as a chemical that reduces dental cavities. Yet it is now well-established that fluoride primarily exerts its protective effects through topical mechanisms, such as sodium fluoride in toothpaste and mouthwash. In contrast, long-term ingestion of fluoride in water increases dental fluorosis, which includes mottling, pitting and weakening of the teeth. 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 fractures, although these effects may occur at lower doses.
Even fluoride levels of 0.7 ppm, the amount of fluoride in drinking water recommended by the U.S. Public Health Service, can result in too much fluoride for bottle-fed babies. EWG recommends that caregivers mix baby formula with fluoride-free water. The National Toxicology Program is investigating the potential for low doses of fluoride to alter thyroid function and childhood brain development.
Samples
Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)
Samples exceeding
health guidelines
Testing results - average by year
| Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 0.611 ppm | 29 | 27 | ND - 0.820 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.693 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.527 ppm - 0.790 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.709 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.614 ppm - 0.810 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.606 ppm | 29 | 29 | 0.0540 ppm - 0.840 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.680 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.525 ppm - 0.820 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.657 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.550 ppm - 0.720 ppm |
ppm = parts per million
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 4 ppm
ppm = parts per million
All test results
| Date | Lab ID | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-01-07 | 115162001 | 0.636 ppm |
| 2014-01-07 | 115162001 | 0.769 ppm |
| 2014-02-06 | 118814001 | 0.693 ppm |
| 2014-02-06 | 118814001 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2014-03-06 | 122159001 | 0.638 ppm |
| 2014-03-06 | 122159001 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2014-03-25 | 776483 | ND |
| 2014-03-25 | 776486 | ND |
| 2014-03-25 | 776473 | 0.120 ppm |
| 2014-03-25 | 776480 | 0.590 ppm |
| 2014-03-25 | 776476 | 0.610 ppm |
| 2014-04-01 | 125522001 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2014-04-01 | 125522001 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2014-05-07 | 131240001 | 0.654 ppm |
| 2014-05-07 | 131240001 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2014-06-03 | 136578001 | 0.646 ppm |
| 2014-06-03 | 136578001 | 0.760 ppm |
| 2014-07-07 | 143584001 | 0.655 ppm |
| 2014-07-07 | 143584001 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2014-08-04 | 148947001 | 0.630 ppm |
| 2014-08-04 | 148947001 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2014-09-02 | 154449001 | 0.632 ppm |
| 2014-09-02 | 154449001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2014-10-02 | 161344001 | 0.607 ppm |
| 2014-10-02 | 161344001 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2014-11-03 | 166499001 | 0.616 ppm |
| 2014-11-03 | 166499001 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2014-12-01 | 171094001 | 0.574 ppm |
| 2014-12-01 | 171094001 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2015-01-06 | 174592001 | 0.527 ppm |
| 2015-01-06 | 174592001 | 0.630 ppm |
| 2015-02-02 | 177798001 | 0.572 ppm |
| 2015-02-02 | 177798001 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2015-03-03 | 181760001 | 0.554 ppm |
| 2015-03-03 | 181760001 | 0.580 ppm |
| 2015-04-06 | 186411001 | 0.687 ppm |
| 2015-04-06 | 186411001 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2015-05-05 | 191766001 | 0.692 ppm |
| 2015-05-05 | 191766001 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2015-06-02 | 197086001 | 0.719 ppm |
| 2015-06-02 | 197086001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2015-07-06 | 204271001 | 0.705 ppm |
| 2015-07-06 | 204271001 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2015-08-03 | 209181001 | 0.692 ppm |
| 2015-08-03 | 209181001 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2015-09-09 | 216432001 | 0.673 ppm |
| 2015-09-09 | 216432001 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2015-10-08 | 222974001 | 0.667 ppm |
| 2015-10-08 | 222974001 | 0.760 ppm |
| 2015-11-02 | 226772001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2015-11-02 | 226772001 | 0.755 ppm |
| 2015-12-01 | 230802001 | 0.653 ppm |
| 2015-12-01 | 230802001 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2016-01-04 | 234358001 | 0.665 ppm |
| 2016-01-04 | 234358001 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2016-02-01 | 238065001 | 0.622 ppm |
| 2016-02-01 | 238065001 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2016-03-02 | 242137001 | 0.643 ppm |
| 2016-03-02 | 242137001 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2016-04-04 | 247317001 | 0.646 ppm |
| 2016-04-04 | 247317001 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2016-05-02 | 251992001 | 0.635 ppm |
| 2016-05-02 | 251992001 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2016-06-02 | 257776001 | 0.763 ppm |
| 2016-06-02 | 257776001 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2016-07-05 | 263869001 | 0.703 ppm |
| 2016-07-05 | 263869001 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2016-08-02 | 269817001 | 0.614 ppm |
| 2016-08-02 | 269817001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2016-09-01 | 275263001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2016-09-01 | 275263001 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2016-10-03 | 281872001 | 0.781 ppm |
| 2016-10-03 | 281872001 | 0.810 ppm |
| 2016-11-01 | 286967001 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2016-11-01 | 286967001 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2016-12-01 | 290883001 | 0.662 ppm |
| 2016-12-01 | 290883001 | 0.760 ppm |
| 2017-01-04 | 295084001 | 0.665 ppm |
| 2017-01-04 | 295084001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2017-02-01 | 298277001 | 0.747 ppm |
| 2017-02-01 | 298277001 | 0.840 ppm |
| 2017-03-02 | 302110001 | 0.541 ppm |
| 2017-03-02 | 302110001 | 0.610 ppm |
| 2017-04-03 | 307569001 | 0.653 ppm |
| 2017-04-03 | 307569001 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2017-04-18 | 983869 | 0.0540 ppm |
| 2017-04-18 | 983839 | 0.0690 ppm |
| 2017-04-18 | 983866 | 0.210 ppm |
| 2017-04-18 | 983875 | 0.220 ppm |
| 2017-04-18 | 983872 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2017-05-02 | 313452001 | 0.570 ppm |
| 2017-05-02 | 313452001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2017-06-01 | 319067001 | 0.590 ppm |
| 2017-06-01 | 319067001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2017-07-05 | 326271001 | 0.598 ppm |
| 2017-07-05 | 326271001 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2017-08-01 | 332866001 | 0.588 ppm |
| 2017-08-01 | 332866001 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2017-09-06 | 340494001 | 0.629 ppm |
| 2017-09-06 | 340494001 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2017-10-02 | 346400001 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2017-10-02 | 346400001 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2017-11-02 | 352183001 | 0.653 ppm |
| 2017-11-02 | 352183001 | 0.810 ppm |
| 2017-12-04 | 357424001 | 0.516 ppm |
| 2017-12-04 | 357424001 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2018-01-02 | 361118001 | 0.580 ppm |
| 2018-01-02 | 361118001 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2018-02-05 | 365629001 | 0.525 ppm |
| 2018-02-05 | 365629001 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2018-03-01 | 369108001 | 0.564 ppm |
| 2018-03-01 | 369108001 | 0.590 ppm |
| 2018-04-03 | 374512001 | 0.658 ppm |
| 2018-04-03 | 374512001 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2018-05-02 | 379766001 | 0.695 ppm |
| 2018-05-02 | 379766001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2018-06-04 | 386220001 | 0.640 ppm |
| 2018-06-04 | 386220001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2018-07-02 | 392171001 | 0.671 ppm |
| 2018-07-02 | 392171001 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2018-08-01 | 398371001 | 0.623 ppm |
| 2018-08-01 | 398371001 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2018-09-05 | 405649001 | 0.693 ppm |
| 2018-09-05 | 405649001 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2018-10-01 | 412275001 | 0.692 ppm |
| 2018-10-01 | 412275001 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2018-11-07 | 418811001 | 0.623 ppm |
| 2018-11-07 | 418811001 | 0.810 ppm |
| 2018-12-04 | 422718001 | 0.644 ppm |
| 2018-12-04 | 422718001 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2019-01-02 | 425987001 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2019-01-02 | 425987001 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2019-02-04 | 430405001 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2019-02-04 | 430405001 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2019-03-04 | 433726001 | 0.611 ppm |
| 2019-03-04 | 433726001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2019-04-01 | 438214001 | 0.550 ppm |
| 2019-04-01 | 438214001 | 0.610 ppm |
| 2019-05-01 | 443556001 | 0.607 ppm |
| 2019-05-01 | 443556001 | 0.662 ppm |
| 2019-06-03 | 450011001 | 0.604 ppm |
| 2019-06-03 | 450011001 | 0.673 ppm |
| 2019-07-03 | 455495001 | 0.589 ppm |
| 2019-07-03 | 455495001 | 0.670 ppm |
| 2019-08-05 | 461699001 | 0.668 ppm |
| 2019-08-05 | 461699001 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2019-09-04 | 467853001 | 0.618 ppm |
| 2019-09-04 | 467853001 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2019-10-02 | 474469001 | 0.670 ppm |
| 2019-10-02 | 474469001 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2019-11-06 | 480479001 | 0.627 ppm |
| 2019-11-06 | 480479001 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2019-12-04 | 484593001 | 0.653 ppm |
| 2019-12-04 | 484593001 | 0.710 ppm |