Fluoride
Stevens Point Waterworks
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.
Testing results - average by year
Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A |
2014 | 0.661 ppm | 26 | 26 | 0.607 ppm - 0.740 ppm |
2015 | 0.667 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.609 ppm - 0.760 ppm |
2016 | 0.681 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.560 ppm - 0.770 ppm |
2017 | 0.643 ppm | 27 | 27 | 0.260 ppm - 1.10 ppm |
2018 | 0.671 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.585 ppm - 0.780 ppm |
2019 | 0.688 ppm | 26 | 26 | 0.596 ppm - 0.790 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 |
---|---|---|
2014-01-22 | 117362001 | 0.687 ppm |
2014-01-22 | 117362001 | 0.740 ppm |
2014-02-19 | 120284001 | 0.626 ppm |
2014-02-19 | 120284001 | 0.690 ppm |
2014-03-19 | 124204001 | 0.607 ppm |
2014-03-19 | 124204001 | 0.660 ppm |
2014-04-09 | 127105001 | 0.665 ppm |
2014-04-09 | 127105001 | 0.710 ppm |
2014-04-22 | 781812 | 0.640 ppm |
2014-04-22 | 781803 | 0.690 ppm |
2014-05-23 | 134693001 | 0.644 ppm |
2014-05-23 | 134693001 | 0.700 ppm |
2014-06-24 | 141197001 | 0.613 ppm |
2014-06-24 | 141197001 | 0.640 ppm |
2014-07-22 | 146979001 | 0.609 ppm |
2014-07-22 | 146979001 | 0.640 ppm |
2014-08-13 | 151295001 | 0.614 ppm |
2014-08-13 | 151295001 | 0.680 ppm |
2014-09-18 | 158438001 | 0.610 ppm |
2014-09-18 | 158438001 | 0.660 ppm |
2014-10-27 | 165600001 | 0.655 ppm |
2014-10-27 | 165600001 | 0.690 ppm |
2014-11-12 | 168229001 | 0.646 ppm |
2014-11-12 | 168229001 | 0.710 ppm |
2014-12-18 | 173484001 | 0.661 ppm |
2014-12-18 | 173484001 | 0.710 ppm |
2015-01-13 | 175496001 | 0.664 ppm |
2015-01-13 | 175496001 | 0.710 ppm |
2015-02-23 | 180621001 | 0.630 ppm |
2015-02-23 | 180621001 | 0.648 ppm |
2015-03-25 | 185186001 | 0.650 ppm |
2015-03-25 | 185186001 | 0.669 ppm |
2015-04-24 | 189763001 | 0.662 ppm |
2015-04-24 | 189763001 | 0.720 ppm |
2015-05-18 | 194273001 | 0.662 ppm |
2015-05-18 | 194273001 | 0.710 ppm |
2015-06-30 | 203008001 | 0.613 ppm |
2015-06-30 | 203008001 | 0.650 ppm |
2015-07-22 | 207412001 | 0.631 ppm |
2015-07-22 | 207412001 | 0.670 ppm |
2015-08-25 | 213752001 | 0.666 ppm |
2015-08-25 | 213752001 | 0.760 ppm |
2015-09-21 | 219121001 | 0.609 ppm |
2015-09-21 | 219121001 | 0.630 ppm |
2015-10-30 | 226226001 | 0.699 ppm |
2015-10-30 | 226226001 | 0.720 ppm |
2015-11-23 | 229912001 | 0.650 ppm |
2015-11-23 | 229912001 | 0.676 ppm |
2015-12-15 | 233192001 | 0.640 ppm |
2015-12-15 | 233192001 | 0.660 ppm |
2016-01-25 | 237003001 | 0.681 ppm |
2016-01-25 | 237003001 | 0.750 ppm |
2016-02-26 | 241350001 | 0.640 ppm |
2016-02-26 | 241350001 | 0.669 ppm |
2016-03-22 | 245400001 | 0.671 ppm |
2016-03-22 | 245400001 | 0.740 ppm |
2016-04-22 | 250210001 | 0.646 ppm |
2016-04-22 | 250210001 | 0.770 ppm |
2016-05-10 | 253895001 | 0.668 ppm |
2016-05-10 | 253895001 | 0.700 ppm |
2016-06-21 | 261979001 | 0.635 ppm |
2016-06-21 | 261979001 | 0.720 ppm |
2016-07-27 | 268784001 | 0.676 ppm |
2016-07-27 | 268784001 | 0.750 ppm |
2016-08-16 | 272672001 | 0.590 ppm |
2016-08-16 | 272672001 | 0.640 ppm |
2016-09-19 | 278719001 | 0.650 ppm |
2016-09-19 | 278719001 | 0.652 ppm |
2016-10-14 | 284042001 | 0.661 ppm |
2016-10-14 | 284042001 | 0.750 ppm |
2016-11-15 | 289430001 | 0.560 ppm |
2016-11-15 | 289430001 | 0.750 ppm |
2016-12-12 | 293259001 | 0.680 ppm |
2016-12-12 | 293259001 | 0.683 ppm |
2017-01-18 | 296787001 | 0.594 ppm |
2017-01-18 | 296787001 | 0.670 ppm |
2017-02-16 | 300493001 | 0.620 ppm |
2017-02-16 | 300493001 | 0.634 ppm |
2017-03-07 | 976663 | 1.10 ppm |
2017-03-14 | 977601 | 0.260 ppm |
2017-03-14 | 977605 | 0.510 ppm |
2017-03-15 | 304543001 | 0.538 ppm |
2017-03-15 | 304543001 | 0.620 ppm |
2017-04-18 | 310792001 | 0.656 ppm |
2017-04-18 | 310792001 | 0.710 ppm |
2017-05-12 | 315479001 | 0.604 ppm |
2017-05-12 | 315479001 | 0.680 ppm |
2017-06-20 | 323463001 | 0.610 ppm |
2017-06-20 | 323463001 | 0.626 ppm |
2017-07-19 | 329914001 | 0.654 ppm |
2017-07-19 | 329914001 | 0.660 ppm |
2017-08-15 | 336290001 | 0.560 ppm |
2017-08-15 | 336290001 | 0.670 ppm |
2017-09-20 | 344071001 | 0.640 ppm |
2017-09-20 | 344071001 | 0.670 ppm |
2017-10-17 | 349775001 | 0.701 ppm |
2017-10-17 | 349775001 | 0.760 ppm |
2017-11-14 | 354700001 | 0.608 ppm |
2017-11-14 | 354700001 | 0.660 ppm |
2017-12-19 | 360248001 | 0.633 ppm |
2017-12-19 | 360248001 | 0.700 ppm |
2018-01-11 | 362574001 | 0.639 ppm |
2018-01-11 | 362574001 | 0.780 ppm |
2018-02-13 | 367053001 | 0.651 ppm |
2018-02-13 | 367053001 | 0.680 ppm |
2018-03-27 | 373262001 | 0.600 ppm |
2018-03-27 | 373262001 | 0.690 ppm |
2018-04-24 | 378196001 | 0.618 ppm |
2018-04-24 | 378196001 | 0.760 ppm |
2018-05-14 | 382148001 | 0.636 ppm |
2018-05-14 | 382148001 | 0.720 ppm |
2018-06-18 | 389435001 | 0.617 ppm |
2018-06-18 | 389435001 | 0.660 ppm |
2018-07-09 | 393137001 | 0.676 ppm |
2018-07-09 | 393137001 | 0.700 ppm |
2018-08-13 | 400779001 | 0.642 ppm |
2018-08-13 | 400779001 | 0.720 ppm |
2018-09-19 | 409396001 | 0.585 ppm |
2018-09-19 | 409396001 | 0.650 ppm |
2018-10-23 | 416243001 | 0.625 ppm |
2018-10-23 | 416243001 | 0.650 ppm |
2018-11-20 | 420906001 | 0.770 ppm |
2018-11-20 | 420906001 | 0.772 ppm |
2018-12-13 | 424420001 | 0.603 ppm |
2018-12-13 | 424420001 | 0.660 ppm |
2019-01-22 | 428855001 | 0.691 ppm |
2019-01-22 | 428855001 | 0.740 ppm |
2019-02-18 | 432389001 | 0.596 ppm |
2019-02-18 | 432389001 | 0.640 ppm |
2019-03-14 | 435553001 | 0.599 ppm |
2019-03-14 | 435553001 | 0.660 ppm |
2019-04-09 | 439828001 | 0.620 ppm |
2019-04-09 | 439828001 | 0.680 ppm |
2019-04-30 | 443245001 | 0.651 ppm |
2019-04-30 | 443245001 | 0.760 ppm |
2019-05-21 | 447568001 | 0.705 ppm |
2019-05-21 | 447568001 | 0.770 ppm |
2019-06-17 | 452694001 | 0.665 ppm |
2019-06-17 | 452694001 | 0.790 ppm |
2019-07-09 | 456694001 | 0.681 ppm |
2019-07-09 | 456694001 | 0.740 ppm |
2019-08-13 | 463678001 | 0.670 ppm |
2019-08-13 | 463678001 | 0.678 ppm |
2019-09-20 | 471632001 | 0.694 ppm |
2019-09-20 | 471632001 | 0.750 ppm |
2019-10-17 | 477090001 | 0.605 ppm |
2019-10-17 | 477090001 | 0.690 ppm |
2019-11-19 | 482584001 | 0.678 ppm |
2019-11-19 | 482584001 | 0.730 ppm |
2019-12-20 | 487275001 | 0.647 ppm |
2019-12-20 | 487275001 | 0.750 ppm |