BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The City of Buffalo is ready to restore fluoride to its water system and is waiting for approval from the Department of Health to go forward, Mayor Byron Brown told News 4 on Friday.
On News 4’s monthly Ask the Mayor segment with Jacquie Walker, Brown said that the city has assembled resources and developed its plan, and is now awaiting a rubber stamp from the Department of Health.
“We cannot move forward until the health department agrees with the plan to restore fluoride to the water,” Brown said. “We’re prepared to do it, we have the resources that we need to do it. We just need approval from the health department.”
Although Brown indicated that he was referencing the Erie County Department of Health, the county said it will need approval from the New York State Department of Health.
In January, it was revealed that the city stopped adding fluoride to its water system in June of 2015 for an equipment upgrade that remained unfinished for seven years, leading to questions from the public and a civil suit.
In May, a city spokesperson told News 4 fluoride would be restored by late summer or early fall.
*Original full-text article online at: https://www.wivb.com/news/byron-brown-says-buffalo-prepared-to-restore-fluoride-to-water-awaiting-county-approval/