South-East Queensland’s new water fluoridation system will be investigated after drinking water supply blunders.

Up to 20 times the allowable fluoride doses were added to the water, supplying about 4,000 homes in Brisbane’s north, the state government revealed last week .

The agency responsible for fluoridation, SEQWater, has also reported six of its water treatment plants did not put enough of the chemical into the water in the first three months of this year.

Premier Anna Bligh on Tuesday told state parliament the system, which was controversial when it was introduced to the southeast in December last year, would be investigated.

Ms Bligh said International Water Centre chief Mark Pascoe would conduct an independent and thorough investigation of the overdose incident.

Mr Pascoe would also look for possible breaches by authorities, and report by June 26, she said.

“While this rigorous investigation is being carried out, the fluoride dosing system at North Pine will remain offline,” Ms Bligh said.

“It will remain this way until the investigation is completed, and any necessary action that may be recommended is taken to prevent any future recurrence.”

The investigation will examine the design and operation of the North Pine fluoridation system, monitoring, notification and emergency systems, as well as fluoridation systems in Queensland and overseas.

The report will be released publicly.

Fluoride is being phased into drinking water throughout Queensland, and will be available to 95 per cent of the population when the program is finished in December 2012.

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