The director of business services at the Wodonga Regional Health Unit, Greg Pearl, says there have been indications of benefits from adding fluoride to the water system.

Victorian Health Minister Bronwyn Pike says the Government could legislate to force some water boards to add fluoride to water supply systems, including Wodonga.

Mr Pearl says issues have been raised by the public dental clinic.

“Our dental officers, who are working in our public clinic, seem to indicate there are a number of children under the school age from, say, two to five that go through their clinic that possibly could benefit from fluoride or do have significant decay for various reasons,” he said.

But the chief executive of North-East Water says it is up to the Health Department to decide whether fluoride is to be added to town supplies.

Jim Martin says North-East Water has never added fluoride
and the only survey it has undertaken showed the community was equally divided.

“We did a survey, I should say in our last customer satisfaction survey and it was quite interesting that both Wangaratta and Wodonga, that we actually surveyed to see what their reaction would be like in relation to fluoride in their water…there was 50 per cent in both towns, 50 for and against, so it all depends which way you look at it I guess,” he said.

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