Citizen panel will air water fluoridation concerns during Loveland commission meeting Wednesday

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Source: Loveland Reporter-Herald | By Max Levy

Posted on March 22nd, 2021

Location: United States, Colorado

City drinking water contains about 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter

*Jenny Sparks / Loveland Reporter-Herald*

Shiloh Thompson, lead plant operator of the Loveland Water Treatment Plant, looks through a window into the fluorosilicic acid room at the plant as he talks Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020, about how they use fluoride in the water treatment process.

Citizens concerned about Loveland’s practice of water fluoridation will square off against a panel of doctors and public health officials Wednesday during a virtual meeting of the Loveland Utilities Commission.

The city’s water utility introduces a fluoride compound into its drinking water to raise the concentration of the element to 0.7 milligrams per liter. About 0.2 milligrams of fluoride are naturally present in the water before it passes through the Loveland Water Treatment Plant.

Cities commonly add fluoride to their drinking water because of its effects on dental health. Loveland began fluoridating its water in 1954. Since then, the consensus among public health experts has been that fluoride is not harmful at the levels achieved by fluoridation.

The efficacy of water fluoridation is supported by the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Dental Association, American Water Works Association, U.S. Public Health Service and other agencies.

Council members ultimately agreed with a suggestion by City Manager Steve Adams that the topic be brought before the Loveland Utilities Commission, which advises the council on matters related to the city’s water and electric utilities.

The commission last addressed the fluoridation question in 2014 — after weighing presentations from health care professionals as well as citizens who voiced concerns similar to Renner’s, it voted to recommend the city continue adding fluoride to its water.

Wednesday’s meeting will be structured in a similar way, starting with presentations from a fluoride-skeptic panel, followed by a panel of doctors and representatives of agencies that support the practice.

Loveland Water and Power director Joe Bernosky said he expects the commission will vote to recommend whether the city should continue fluoridating its water, and he will write a memo summarizing the meeting to be reviewed by the council.

How to participate

Due to COVID-19 concerns, the commission meeting is being held remotely via Zoom. The meeting will start at 4 p.m. Loveland Water and Power customers who want to comment during the meeting may call 669-900-6833 any time after 3:45 p.m.

When prompted, callers should enter the meeting identification number, 984 0460 4379, followed by the passcode, 609361, when prompted and press the # key when asked for a participant ID.

Callers will be automatically muted and placed on hold. When a public comment period is announced, callers should press *9 and wait to be unmuted.

The Zoom webinar will be accessible at zoom.us/s/98404604379. To make a video comment, Zoom attendees should use the “raise your hand” feature and wait to be unmuted.