Fluoridation of Coonamble’s water supply has been further delayed by at least 18 months.

The Coonamble Shire Council voted to introduce it in 2007 and has since received Federal Government funding for a new water treatment plant.

General manager Rick Warren says the Department of Health has rejected the initial design for the filtration plant, which includes fluoridation.

He says the design will now have to be modified.

“By modifying the plant we need to put the fluoridation on hold due to the different methodology and technology used within the filtration system or new plant … so what we’re looking at is that we can utilise what we’ve already done to date but we’ll need to commission the filtration plant before we can actually then have the fluoride put into the water supply,” he said.

The council says fluoride is expected to be introduced into Gulargambone’s supply by Christmas.