The Evergreen Metropolitan District plans to discontinue its drinking water fluoridation program.
The district, which finalized the decision at its August board of directors meeting and announced it in an Oct. 11 memo to water customers, cited concerns for employee safety and anticipated cost savings tied to an upcoming remodel of the building in which the chemical is stored.
“The driving factor for discontinuing the fluoridation of the EMD drinking water is for the safety of the water treatment plant operators,” the memo stated. “The chemical used for fluoride addition is sodium fluorosilicate, a fine, white, odorless powder. It is toxic if swallowed, in contact with skin, or inhaled. It is one of the most dangerous chemicals handled by operators at the water treatment plant.”
As of October, the EMD Water Department estimates it has only a three- to five-month supply of fluoride remaining and intends to let this supply deplete. The department has no plans to order additional fluoride for 2025.
But the district’s move is not just for the health and well-being of its employees — it’s also the bottom line of a forthcoming “major plant remodel” of its chemical building, which houses the fluoride and other water treatment products.
“Designing the building for fluoride use increases the occupancy rating hazard, which requires more engineered controls,” the memo said. “Eliminating fluoridation from future design plans saves on engineering and operational costs while enabling a safer environment for the operators.”
The Denver Gazette reached out to EMD General Manager Jason Stawski for comment but neither phone calls nor emails were returned by press time.
Almost all water has naturally occurring fluoride, according to Water Education Colorado, a nonprofit organization that educates Coloradans on water.
“Fluoride is a mineral — like Vitamin D or calcium — that is released from rocks into our air, soil, and water; however, depending on the source of the water, fluoride is not always present in concentrations that would be optimal for preventing tooth decay,” the group stated on its website.
Drinking water systems with a low fluoride concentration often add fluoride to the water during treatment to deliver public dental health benefits.
Evergreen Metro District’s drinking water is sourced from Evergreen Lake and treated at the local water plant. The lake naturally contains about 0.3 mg/L of fluoride and the district has historically added fluoride during the treatment process to maintain the 0.7 mg/L level recommended by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to prevent tooth decay and promote good oral health.
“Proponents of community water fluoridation point to the public dental health and economic benefit of reducing cavities,” the district’s memo stated. “However, given the prevalence of fluoride in toothpaste and modern accessibility of dental care, and the safety concerns for those making Evergreen’s water safe, the decision was made to stop adding fluoride to the drinking water.”
The City of Aurora does not add fluoride to its water, according to its website.
“Aurora is fortunate that our natural levels (of fluoride) are close to the suggested levels. Removal of fluoride in water treatment is very difficult and costly.”
A Denver Water spokesperson said it has been monitoring and managing the level of fluoride in water since 1953.
“We have relied on the latest science from the foremost national and local authorities to inform our policy. Our approach has not changed, and we’ll continue to follow the recommendation from the experts … to add fluoride to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay,” the spokesperson said.
Fluoride is a naturally occurring compound in Denver Water’s source water. The fluoride is supplemented at Denver Water’s treatment plants only when the concentrations fall below the levels recommended by the U.S. Public Health Service.
Molly Pereira, executive director of the Colorado Dental Association, told The Denver Gazette in an email that “even with the widespread availability of fluoride toothpaste, studies show that community water fluoridation continues to be effective in reducing tooth decay by about 25% in children and adults, regardless of income level.”
“The Colorado Dental Association, along with more than 100 organizations, recognize the public health benefits of water fluoridation for preventing dental decay,” Pereira said. “Optimally, fluoridated water keeps a low level of fluoride in the mouth throughout the day, while fluoride toothpaste delivers higher concentrations at important times of the day, such as at bedtime.”
The Evergreen Metropolitan District, established on Feb. 27, 1979, unified the water systems of the Public Service Company of Colorado and the Evergreen Sanitation District.
Today, the district operates a wastewater treatment plant, three wastewater pump stations, a water treatment plant, eight water pump stations, 10 reservoirs, and approximately 300 miles each of wastewater and water distribution piping.
Original article online at: https://denvergazette.com/dg-print/evergreen-water-fluoride/article_3267f530-97bc-11ef-a4e2-cf577d74dfaa.html