The people of Mount Alexander Shire have won a battle to stop fluoride being added to their water supply.

Coliban Water has heeded petitions and newspaper polls rejecting fluoride, as part of an $80 million upgrade of central Victoria’s water supplies.

The chairman of Coliban Water, Gordon McKern, says the water authority has listened to the wishes of the people.

“Whilst we have introduced fluoride into Bendigo and Kyneton with total support, well certainly no opposition, it is a different story in Castlemaine,” Mr McKern said.

“There is obviously a community there that believes they don’t particularly want fluoride and we have heeded their wishes,” he said.

The decision comes two months after John Ellis, editor of local newsletter Chewton Chat, spoke to ABC Central Victoria’s breakfast program about the town’s fluoride survey. The survey, which was designed to gauge public opinion, had 103 responses with 97 against fluoridation.

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