Only two of Muskoka’s six area municipalities have decided to kick fluoride to the curb.

District of Muskoka council passed a bylaw at its Jan. 20 meeting that authorizes continued fluoridation of municipal water supplies in the Town of Bracebridge, the Town of Gravehurst, the Township of Georgian Bay and the Township of Muskoka Lakes.

Councillors made no comments on the bylaw while it was up for debate.

The Town of Huntsville and the Township of Georgian Bay were the two municipalities to eliminate fluoride.

The bylaw was created based on feedback from the area municipalities. Council had decided in October to end fluoridation across the region, but later added a loophole for municipalities that wanted to continue fluoridation.

Any municipality that wanted to keep fluoride in its municipal water supplies had to inform the district of that by Jan. 15.

Herman Clemens, district director of water and sewer operations, said fluoridation in Huntsville and Lake of Bays will end on Feb. 3.

“That’s the day that we are going to cease adding fluoride to those municipalities that wish to get unplugged,” said Clemens.

The district has already received confirmation from the Ministry of the Environment that removing fluoride in the two municipalities will not affect the district’s drinking water permits or environmental compliance approvals.

Fluoridating municipal water in all six municipalities cost the district about $50,000 annually.

Eliminating fluoride in Huntsville and Baysville will reduce that expense by about $10,000.

Clemens said any cost reductions would be recorded as a savings in the district water and sewer budget.

“Unless we are directed otherwise,” he said.

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