The following includes:

• Report by KWES NewsWest 9
• A 2010 Notification letter sent to residents of Midland, fluoride level reported: 4.9 mg/L
• A 2008 Notification letter sent to residents of Midland: fluoride level reported: 4.6 mg/L

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November 23, 2010: KWES NewsWest 9:

City of Midland Reporting High Fluoride Levels in Their Water

If you drink Midland’s tap water, you might be mindful of how much you drink.

The city sent out a letter about it’s fluoride levels.

According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the City of Midland has too much fluoride in their water.

In the letter, it says kids who drink a lot over a period of time can get mottling of the teeth, which means they can get brown stains on their teeth.

The City of Midland says it’s not an emergency and you don’t need to use an alternate water supply.

Construction on the water purification plant is to blame for the high fluoride levels and until it’s complete, the levels will continue to stay high.

Construction should be finished by next month.

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November 2010:

Mandatory Public Notification Language

Notice of Drinking Water FLUORIDE Violation

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has notified the City of Midland water system that the fluoride drinking water being supplied to customers had exceeded the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for FLUORIDE. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) has established the MCL for FLUORIDE at 4 mg/L, and has determined that it is a health concern at levels above the MCL. Analysis of drinking water in your community for FLUORIDE indicates a level of 4.9 mg/L.

This is not an emergency. However, some people who drink water containing FLUORIDE in excess of the MCL over many years could get bone disease, including pain and tenderness of the bone. Fluoride in drinking water at half the MCL or more may cause mottling of children’s teeth, usually in children less than nine years old. Mottling, also known as dental fluorosis, may include brown staining and/or pitting of the teeth, and occurs only in developing teeth before they erupt from the gums.

You do not need to use an alternative water supply. However, if you have health concerns, you may want to talk to your doctor to get more information about how this may affect you.

We are working to correct the problem:

The construction that is currently taking place at the Water Purification Plant will provide for a blending of water from the well fields and surface water. The elevated fluoride is in the well water and by blending with the surface water, the fluoride levels will be lowered. Construction began in February 2008 and will be completed in approximately two years.

Until construction is completed we will continue to see the fluoride levels reported at an exceedence of the MCL of 4.0 mg/L. We are required to report the highest level of regulated chemicals that are measured in our water, and the highest fluoride levels occur at the well field. Each quarter that the level is exceeded, we are required by regulation to report the level to our customers. Therefore, you will receive this notice each quarter until the construction at the Plant is completed. Reverse Osmosis (RO) is an effective way to remove fluoride from the water.

Please share this information with all other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

For further information contact:

Stuart T. Purvis, P.E., Director of UtilitiesCity of Midland, 300 N. Loraine, 432-685-7262, email: spurvis@midlandtexas.gov

Public Water System ID#1650001

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Posted April 29, 2008 by BERT at myopenforum.com

From a note on my apartment door

Mandatory Public Notification Language – Notice of Drinking Water Flouride [sic] Violation

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has notified the City of Midland, Texas water system that the drinking water being supplied to customers has exceeded the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for Fluoride. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) has established the MCL for fluoride at 4 mg/L, and has determined that it is a health concern at levels above the MCL. Analysis of drinking water in your community for FLUORIDE indicates a level of 4.6 mg/L.

This is not an emergency. However, some people who drink water containing FLUORIDE in excess of the MCL over any years could get bone disease, including pain and tenderness of the bones. Fluoride in drinking water at half the MCL or more may cause mottling of children’s teeth, usually in children less than 9 years only in developing teeth before they erupt from the gums.

You do not need to use an alternative water supply. However, if you have health concerns, you may need to talk to your doctor to get more information about how this may affect you.

We are working to correct the problem:

The construction that is currently taking place at the Water Purification Plant will provide for a blending of water from the well fields and surface water. The elevated fluoride is in well water, and by blending with surface water, the fluoride levels will be lowered. Construction began this month and will be completed in approximately two years.

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses.) You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

Public Water System ID#1650001

For further information contact:
Kay T. Snyder, P.E., Director of Utilities
City of Midland
300 N Loraine
432-685-7261
e-mail: ksnyder@midlandtexas.gov

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