The Newport City Council will hold a public hearing on whether the city should consider the reinstatement of the fluoridation of the city’s water supply. The hearing will be held at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, September 8, 2015, at 6:00 P.M., in the City Council Chambers of the Newport City Hall, 169 SW Coast Highway.
In the early 1960’s, after two municipal elections, the City of Newport began fluoridating its water. In the fall of 2005, the practice was stopped by the city when it was determined that the room where the water treatment staff mixed lime was the same room where they mixed fluoride. The dust from the two was indistinguishable and the dust had coated the ventilation ductwork. It was concluded that it was unsafe to clean the ductwork due to the presence of fluoride. To continue the practice of adding fluoride to the water, without modification to the water treatment plant, would have been an OSHA violation, and the practice was discontinued.
It has been recommended by the Lincoln County Public Health Advisory Committee that the city reinstate the practice of adding fluoride to its water supply. The City Council is interested in what the entire community believes about fluoridation of the city’s water, and whether the City Council should consider reinstating the practice.
The public is encouraged to attend the public hearing on September 8, 2015 to provide comments on whether the city should consider reinstating the practice of adding fluoride to the city’s water supply. Written comments may be submitted to the City Recorder, via e-mail, at publiccomment@newportoregon.gov, or by mail or dropped off to the City Recorder at City Hall, 169 SW Coast Highway, Newport, Oregon 97365. Written comments received by Wednesday, September 2, 2015, at 5:00 P.M., will be included in the September 8, 2015 City Council packet. Additional written comments must be submitted by 4:00 P.M. on Tuesday, September 8, 2015, and will be included as a part of the record during the public hearing scheduled that evening.
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