On Tuesday, the Arab Water Board voted to cease adding fluoride to the city’s water supply.
Board members say a Supreme Court ruling allows them to revert back to their decision in 2015 to remove fluoride. They are expected to stop adding fluoride Wednesday morning.
The city previously sued the Arab Water Works board, and a local judge ordered them to restore fluoride to the system but that order was struck down by the state Supreme Court.
Some fluoride advocates hope the board will reconsider.
“What I hope they will do is continue to look at the latest EPA findings from the last three months and hopefully look at new sites, look at their new findings, and hopefully reverse their decision at some point in time,” said John York, an Arab dentist.
Another resident, Melissa Thrower, was opposed to fluoridated water.
“I’m looking forward to being able to go to my local restaurants, eat whatever I want and be able to drink a soda and be a little more like things used to be before I started having those reactions to the chemical,” she said before the vote.
Manager Ted Hyatt said they will notify the state Public Health Department and ADEM of the changes.
Before the vote, Arab Water Board Chairman Ben Hornsby gave the following statement:
The unanimous decision of 8 – 0 from the Alabama Supreme Court validated our understanding of Alabama law pertaining to this case as researched by our board attorney prior to the decision being made. Alabama law is well established and has been settled for several decades and to that extent this lawsuit by the City of Arab was ill-advised and should never have been filed. As for the legal expenses the Arab Water Works Board repeatedly asked the City of Arab for a “stand still” on conduction of the Circuit Court case while we were awaiting the Alabama Supreme Court judgement of our appeal, but each request was denied by the City of Arab.
• Original article online at http://www.waff.com/story/35016963/arab-water-board-votes-to-remove-fluoride-from-water-system