Battlefield-area residents soon will have a chance to decide whether they want fluoride returned to the public water.

The Greene County Public Water Supply District 1 will include a question on the Feb. 20 bill where customers can check whether they want fluoride in the water, a district employee said.

The informal votes will be tallied, and results will be announced at a later date.

The district board decided to stop fluoridating the water in October after two of three fluoride pumps broke. Board chairman Chuck McDaniel has said board members were not just concerned with the estimated $2,000 annual cost to fluoridate the water, but questioned the government’s role in putting the chemical in the water.

Several dental professionals advocated putting fluoride in the water at a December board meeting, calling the chemical a safe, effective way to prevent tooth decay.