Legislation has been introduced to Parliament that will allow DHBs [District Health Boards] rather than local authorities to make the decision on whether community water supplies are fluoridated.
Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne says moving the process recognises that water fluoridation is a health-related issue.
“Decisions would be based on the assessment of health-related evidence and local needs,” he said.
“Recognition that fluoridating water is the single-most important initiative to improve dental health, particularly child dental health, is long overdue.”
The government believes the change would benefit more than 1.4 million New Zealanders who live in areas where networked community water supplies are not currently fluoridated.
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