THE entire Capricorn Coast is now drinking fluoridated water.

Fitzroy River Water has completed the installation, and has commenced operation of the $1.3 million fluoridation equipment at the Woodbury, and also Mount Morgan, water treatment plants.

A Rockhampton Regional Council spokeswoman yesterday said previously about 20% to 25% of the Capricorn Coast’s drinking water supply was fluoridated, through water from the Rockhampton to Yeppoon pipeline.

The fluoridation of the Woodbury plant means the whole of the coast now has fluoridated water running through the taps, as required by the State Government.

And that doesn’t bother Yeppoon’s Herbie Martin one bit.

He said he grew up in Sydney drinking fluoridated water and was pleased to drink it once again.

Yeppoon residents used to drink some of the purest water in the country, as the former Waterpark Creek supply was regarded as equal to the best quality water in Australia.

Chair of Rockhampton Regional Council’s Water Committee, Cr Greg Belz, said the introduction of fluoride to drinking water was a legal requirement of the Water Fluoridation Act 2008 placed on public water suppliers servicing communities of more than 1000 people.

In February 2008 Premier Anna Bligh announced the requirement for councils to complete fluoridation between 2008 and 2012.

“We met these strict State Government requirements, ensuring that fluoridation of the drinking water supplied to Rockhampton, The Caves and Gracemere commenced before December 31, 2009, and the completion of the Rockhampton to Yeppoon pipeline enabled the early delivery of a secure fluoridated water supply to the Capricorn Coast,” Cr Belz said.

Print PDF