06/18/12 The Plymouth Water Department plans to continue to add fluoride to the city’s water, even though some neighboring towns have discontinued the practice. Bourbon, North Liberty, Walkerton, and Argos departments recently stopped adding fluoride to their town’s water.
According to Donnie Davidson, Plymouth utilities superintendent, the local opinion is that the addition of fluoride still has a positive effect. Davidson said they have spoken with several local dentists on the topic. Davidson said dentists in the area believe that it is beneficial for those children who live in the country where the water does not contain adequate fluoride and that they can get fluoride by using water when they are at school. He said dentists feel that it is beneficial to children up to the age of 16, 17, or 18.
Davidson said IDEM (Indiana Department of Environmental Management) has no regulation on fluoride, but the Indiana State Board of Health is still recommending the use.
However, the addition of the fluoride concentration has been scaled back within the last few months. He said, “The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) is recommending lowering the dosage limits.” Davidson said the amount of fluoride added is monitored daily.
Davidson said the city paid $10,300 for fluoride treatment in 2011.
Carol Anders Correspondent
