The fluoride feed in drinking water in the Greater Boston area has resumed after a three-month pause for construction, officials said Tuesday.
The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority said water fluoridation restarted on Monday.
“Fluoridated water will be arriving at customer’s homes throughout the next week or so depending on the distance from the water treatment plant and local pipe network configuration,” officials said.
The MWRA said the temporary shutdown, which began in March, allowed it to replace piping and equipment. Fluoridated tap water remains one of the most effective measures to help prevent tooth decay, according to the American Dental Association.
“While fluoridation is important for dental health, health officials indicate that this short-term shutdown does not require any special additional action by consumers,” the MWRA said ahead of the shutdown.
Large portions of the nearly 20-year-old chemical feed system at the Carroll Water Treatment Plant in Marlborough were replaced during construction, the agency said. The fluoride tanks were drained so a contractor could perform the repairs safely and efficiently, officials said.
The MWRA has been providing fluoridated drinking water since the 1970s, with a target fluoride level of 0.7 parts per million. The agency reaches 3.1 million people and 890,000 households across the MetroWest and Boston metro area, according to its website.
*Original full-text article online at: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/06/14/metro/fluoride-feed-greater-boston-drinking-water-has-resumed-after-construction-officials-say/
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