The City of Hood River has met citizen demands to include more information in the fluoridation measure slated for the Nov. 2 general election ballot.

On Thursday, municipal officials forestalled court action by revising the the ballot language. The revised text discloses the names of the three potential fluoride compounds that could be added to the water. These choices are sodium fluorosilicate, fluorosilicic acid or sodium fluoride.

Voters are also being informed that calcium carbonate is also likely be added to the water supply in order to reduce the tendency of fluoride products to leach lead from older water pipes into the system.

However, the city did not agree to a request by the challengers that it also list lead and arsenic as other additives.

Fluoride proponents contend these substances, if present at all, are in such low levels that they pose no health risk.

“This ballot language is not exactly how I would have written it, but it makes clear that what they are talking about adding to our water is not the fluoride you find in toothpaste and that is critical. They want to add chemicals that are products of industrial waste, and I can’t imagine Hood River voters supporting that”, said Katie Clearly, one of the seven plaintiffs.

Last week she joined with Kimberly Folts, Kathy Eastman, Erik Eastman, Raquel Guiterrez and Eric Voigt, along with Columbia Riverkeeper, to legally contest the ballot language. They protested that voters had not been fully informed about the issue before them. Previously, the city had explained only that fluoride added to the water supply would be subject to review and approval of the Public Health Division within the Oregon Department of Human Services. Information about the cost of the additive remains unchanged from the first listing of $180,000 to build the plant and $49,000 per year thereafter for maintenance and operations.

“It’s nice that everybody had an open mind and talked through this constructively to avoid the unnecessary stress of going through court,” said Bob Francis, city manager.

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The city council will address the debate surrounding fluoridation of the water supply, during its regular meeting on Monday.

That meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the municipal court chambers at the junction of Second and State streets.

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