Plans issued directing councils to fluoridate water supplies could cost the Gore District Council about $500,000 to comply with.
In December, Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield wrote to councils encouraging them to start fluoridation-related preparatory work, especially in areas with larger populations, or that have poor oral health outcomes.
Implementing the directions will take a staged approach, the letter says.
“Community water fluoridation will substantially reduce rates of preventable tooth decay, and it is widely recognised as one of the most important and proven public health measures to improve oral health.’’
To support early adoption, the Ministry of Health has a limited amount of capital works funding available for local authorities that are willing and able to begin work to fluoridate by the end of 2022.
“I recognise that there are some complex council-owned supplies across the country where it may not be feasible to fluoridate in a short timeframe. As part of the Three Waters reforms, new water services entities are due to be established in July 2024. These entities could be responsible for fluoridating these supplies (subject to any directions being issued),’’ the letter says.
Bloomfield’s letter includes a list of 224 non-fluoridated community water supplies servicing populations of 500 or more, which are run by 55 councils nationwide.
Included on the list are Auckland City Council, Rotorua Lakes Council, Queenstown Lakes District Council, Napier City Council and Christchurch City Council.
The letter is included in the agenda for a Gore District Council meeting to be held on Tuesday.
A report from council 3 Waters manager Matt Bayliss says historically in New Zealand, there has been no legal requirement to add fluoride to a community water supply. The decision regarding this has been left to the discretion of drinking-water suppliers (ie local authorities).
However, on November 9, 2021, the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 was passed, which describes powers and duties of the Director-General of Health in relation to making directions for or against water fluoridation, and duties of water suppliers (including local authorities) in relation to implementing Director-General directives about fluoridation.
‘’Essentially the Act moved the decision-making authority on community water fluoridation from local authorities to the Director-General of Health,’’ the report says.
The Gore District Council will have to spend an additional estimated $125,000 to add fluoride treatment to the upgrade of its East Gore water treatment plant, which will ultimately supply all of Gore.
At Mataura, the existing treatment plant building will not be big enough to house the required fluoridation equipment and an additional small building would need to be constructed, which is estimated to cost $350,000.
*Original article online at https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/127705746/bloomfield-will-order-some-water-supplies-to-be-fluoridated-from-mid2022
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