Christchurch will hear the Government’s intentions on fluoridating the city’s water supply by the end of the year.

The city council has been in discussions with the Government after a law change last year gave the director-general of health the power to instruct councils whether or not to fluoridate their water.

The Ministry of Health has said it wants all areas to add fluoride, and would start directing councils to do so by the middle of this year. However, it has not yet directed Christchurch to take the step.

The city’s complex water supply means fluoridation could cost an estimated $63 million and take almost four years.

Previously, decisions on fluoridation were in the hands of local councils.

The city council’s head of three waters, Helen Beaumont, said they were “working closely” with the ministry to make it aware of Christchurch’s situation.

Unlike Auckland, which has four water treatment stations, and Wellington, which has six, Christchurch has about 50 pumping stations in a closed system that delivers aquifer water around the city.

“In December 2021 we provided the Ministry of Health with a range of information on fluoridating our water supply network, including how much it would cost and how long it would take,” Beaumont said.

“The director-general of health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, has now considered this information and decided that Christchurch City Council will not be one of the first local authorities to receive a direction on fluoridation.”

She said the Government has acknowledged that fluoridation in Christchurch could take at least 44 months.

Bloomfield had “strongly encouraged” the council to continue design work on a fluoridation system to provide more certainty about costs and time frames, Beaumont said.

“We’re committed to continuing to work closely with the Ministry of Health to ensure the best outcomes for the community from our water supply network.”

Bloomfield has previously said councils will need to comply with fluoridation orders by July 2024, the month new water service entities take over as part of the Government’s Three Waters reform programme.

Christchurch city councillors agreed unanimously in April that the Government should meet any costs of water fluoridation in the city.

It has also asked health officials to explain what other alternatives have been considered for applying fluoride to children’s teeth.

Water fluoridation is proven to reduce the number of children suffering tooth decay, leading to cost savings for dental and health care.

A 2020 study by public dental health researchers found 18% of Canterbury 5-year-olds had tooth decay, with numbers considerably higher among Pasifika and Maori children.

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*Original article online at https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/129258735/call-on-christchurch-water-fluoridation-by-end-of-the-year