THOSE opposed to adding fluoride to the shire’s water supply have not given up the fight, with a petition currently being circulated for the State Government to ban fluoride from the shire’s drinking water.
The Ballina and District Citizens and Ratepayers Association is behind the petition, and will hold a public meeting on the issue at the Ballina RSL Club on February 3, starting at 7pm.
President Ralph Moss said he didn’t think it was too late to overturn Ballina Shire Council’s decision last year to add fluoride to the water.
That decision came about after NSW Health lobbied for council to agree to add fluoride to the drinking water, arguing the addition of fluoride would improve dental health in the region.
A previous effort by NSW Health to get council to fluoridate the water was knocked back by council.
Mr Moss said: “We don’t want it (fluoride) in the water. I hold out a lot of hope.”
The petition will be available for signing at the public meeting.
Meanwhile, submissions on Rous Water’s review of environment factors for the five fluoride dosing plants, including those at Knockrow and Marom Creek, close on February 5.
The deadline for submissions was extended from January 28 following complaints from the Ballina Fluoridation Free Network about the timing of the release of the report, and the timeframe for responding.