REDLAND City Council has come close to starting a war of words with the State Government over the introduction of fluoridated and recycled water in South East Queensland.

Division 9 Councillor Karen Williams last week called on the council to ramp up pressure on the Bligh Government over the process used to implement its water policies, but the motion was defeated 6-5 at Wednesday’s general meeting.

The attempt came as the government prepared to begin a fluoridation rollout across the region and backed away from its plan to add recycled water to Brisbane’s Wivenhoe Dam as a permanent water source.

Premier Anna Bligh said purified recycled sewage would now only be added to that dam if combined dam levels fell below 40 per cent. Redland City still draws its supplies from Leslie Harrison Dam at Capalaba and North Stradbroke Island groundwater.

Fluoridated water is scheduled to be introduced in Redland City late next year – contrary to a weekend media report that said our supplies would be fluoridated this month – in a move designed to reduce children’s tooth decay.

Cr Williams urged her colleagues to support a motion whereby the council would contact the State Government immediately on behalf of the community outlining strong objections to the “bulk fluoridation of our water supply without informed consent, nor confirmed majority consensus of our community”.

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