Two towns in the Far North have voted against continuing fluoridation of their water supply.
The district council completed a two-year trial of fluoridating the water in Kaitaia and Kaikohe last March.
Of 816 responses, 489 opposed fluoridation, while 327 supported it.
The issue has been controversial locally, with a Northland District Health Board report last November reporting beneficial impacts in the health of children’s teeth during the trial.
Critics however, say there are better and safer ways of improving Northland’s poor child dental health record, than by fluoridating the water.