- Somerset will hold a special public meeting on July 7 to discuss removing fluoride from the public water supply.
- Dental health professionals will speak at the meeting to address potential negative impacts of the removal.
A special public meeting of the borough council and local municipal authority will be held at 5 p.m. July 7 to address Somerset’s intent to remove fluoride from the public water supply, along with other matters.
“No action has been made at this time,” said Jessica Sizemore, manager of the Somerset Borough Municipal Authority, of the fluoride issue. Both boards’ regular meetings are on the fourth Monday of the month.
During the April 28 meeting of the Somerset Borough Municipal Authority, the board authorized staff to begin the process of removing the permit requirement of adding fluoride to the water system, according to its published minutes.
The municipal authority is responsible for managing and financing community improvements, including the water system primarily serving residents of Somerset Borough and the Somerset Township Municipal Authority’s Oakridge water system. Additionally, the municipal authority provides water services through an agreement with Jefferson Township Municipal Authority. Somerset Council provides oversight of the Somerset Municipal Authority.
“This will have a very deleterious impact on the benefit that fluoridation provides for dental health, especially for children and a disproportionately higher impact for the lower socioeconomic population,” said Harvey Frankel.
Frankel, along with several other dental health professionals, is scheduled to speak, and representatives from the PA Coalition for Oral Health will also be in attendance at the meeting to be held in the Somerset Borough Office at 1043 S. Center Ave. in the borough.
Original article online at: https://www.dailyamerican.com/story/news/healthcare/2025/07/03/somerset-pa-officials-debate-not-adding-fluoride-to-drinking-water/84370818007/