TEA Gardens Hawks Nest residents may soon notice a slight change in the taste of their water with MidCoast Water to introduce fluoride into the town’s supply.

MidCoast Water will begin putting fluoride in to the Tea Gardens water supply on Tuesday, February 17.

Robert Loadsman, general manager for MidCoast Water, said the company did not have the ability to fluoridate the town’s water before the opening of the Tea Gardens Water Treatment Plant.

‘‘We didn’t have the capacity before the opening of the plant,’’ he said. ‘‘It will probably take a little while for the fluoridated water to go though the pipes, but residents shouldn’t notice any changes.’’

The $18 million Tea Gardens Water Treatment Plant had its official opening in July 2013.

It came after many years of residents relying on

deriving their water from a borefield, located to the north west of Tea Gardens.

The decision to fluoridate the water supply was made in line with NSW Health and is part of a program to extend fluoridation across all NSW rural water supplies.

Between September and December 2011, brochures were sent to all customers of the Tea Gardens water supply system with information on the benefits of fluoridation of  public water supplies. Customers could provide feedback.

‘‘When customers were asked if they thought fluoridation of the water supply would benefit them and their family, the majority of responses were positive,’’ a MidCoast Water information leaflet said.

About 90 per cent of Australians now receive fluoridated drinking water.

Fluoride acts to strengthen teeth and make them more resistant to decay.

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