Do we need fluoride in our drinking water?

For most public health officials, the answer is yes. But state Sen. Joe Markely wants to make sure.

Markley was recently compiling a list of unfunded state mandates on municipalities when he learned about the state’s water fluoridation policy, which requires fluoride levels of  between 0.8 mg per liter and 1.2 mg per liter in public water supplies serving 20,000 people or more.

Markley believes the decision about adding fluouride ought to be left to local control. One town in his district, Southington, spends between $10,000 and $20,000, he said.

Markley filed a bill in the 2013 legislative session to end the mandate. (Read the CTNewsJunkie account of the bill here.) Even though his proposal failed to win passage, Markley said it generated a lot of comment.

“I was surprised by the response to the bill, both from advocates and from opponents of fluoridation,” Markley said. “Each side offered arguments which sounded credible to me; further research revealed that the debate is lively, persistent, and widespread.”

Markley has invited both supporters and critics of the policy to present their case at the hearing, which will be held at 11 a.m. on Wed., June 26 at the legislative office building.

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