Clearwater, Fla. – The city of Clearwater will begin adding fluoride to its drinking water supply on June 10. The Clearwater City Council approved the addition of fluoride to the water system on Sept. 1, 2016 (design work order) and April 19, 2018 (construction contract approval).

Community water fluoridation is the process of adjusting the amount of fluoride found in water to achieve optimal prevention of tooth decay. Clearwater Public Utilities will be fluoridating its drinking water to the recommended level of 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water.

The city of Clearwater’s first priority is the protection of public health. The fluoride level of 0.7 ppm is well below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) maximum contaminant level of 4.0 parts per million (ppm) and EPA’s secondary maximum contaminant level of 2 ppm, which was set to protect against cosmetic dental effects that may occur from excess fluoride consumption. The fluoride systems will be monitored continuously and controlled by the city’s 14 licensed water treatment plant operators.

Since 1945, hundreds of cities have started community water fluoridation. In 2012, nearly 75 percent of the United States served by community water systems had access to fluoridated water. Because of its contribution to the dramatic decline in tooth decay over the past 70 years, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named community water fluoridation as one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century.

Residents who want to know more about the safety of community water fluoridation can visit these sites:

• cdc.gov/fluoridation/faqs/community-water-fluoridation.html
• cdc.gov/fluoridation/index.html
• floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/community-health/dental-health/fluoridation/index.html
• ada.org/en/public-programs/advocating-for-the-public/fluoride-and-fluoridation/fluoridation-faq

The city of Clearwater and Clearwater Public Utilities will continue to monitor further developments regarding any proposed regulatory revisions pertaining to drinking water fluoridation.

This project was partially funded by a grant from the Florida Department of Health to construct these new fluoridation facilities. For more information, call Clearwater Public Utilities at (727) 562-4960.

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