Households in Kaitaia and Kaikohe will decide whether fluoride should be added to water supplies in the towns.

Far North district councillors voted last week to ask occupants of homes whether to extend?a?two-year fluoridation trial which ended in March last year.

The result of the survey will be binding on councillors who voted to abide by the wishes of the majority of respondents when deciding whether to continue fluoridating water.

Councillors had the option of not consulting households and not extending the trial.

But an agreement with the Health Ministry requiring the council to fluoridate water in the towns for at least 10 years, would have made it liable to repay part of a $327,265 ministry subsidy.

Not everyone was happy with the decision to survey only people who live in Kaitaia and Kaikohe.

Councillor Ann Court wanted the council to also survey people who lived outside the towns, but who drank town water while at work or in hospital.

Councillor?Dennis Bowman was concerned that the survey will exclude rural parents who send their children to school in the towns.

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