SELINSGROVE — A second community in the central Susquehanna Valley has voted to remove fluoride from its public water supply.
Selinsgrove Borough Council Monday night voted 5-2 to begin the process. The Sunbury Municipal Authority in October voted 4-3 to stop adding fluoride to the water.
A system must obtain a permit from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) before it makes any modifications to its treatment process. The Sunbury authority has applied for such a permit.
That process, which usually takes three months, requires publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and a 30-day public comment period.
Local dentists and citizens had urged both entities not to stop fluoridation, citing the likelihood of increase in cavities and tooth decay.
Selinsgrove council voted last October to study whether to discontinue fluoridation.
That came after the state in September issued a notice of violation because fluoride levels were not being monitored as required in the borough’s permits.
Based on monthly operating reports it appears required monitoring is now taking place, the agency said Tuesday.
Selinsgrove council voted last October to study the issue. That came after DEP directed Selinsgrove to improve its monitoring of the injection of fluoride in the water.
To comply with the directive, equipment would have to be bought and installed at the borough’s four wells, the cost of which became an issue.
The safety of employees was the motivating factor in the Sunbury authority’s decision, general manager Derrick Backer explained. Employees felt unsafe dealing with powdered fluoride, he said.
A switch to what is known as liquid fluoride was considered but there was concern about fumes in the air instead of particles, he said.
Original article online at: https://www.pennlive.com/news/2026/03/central-pa-municipality-votes-to-remove-fluoride-from-public-water.html