To the editor:

On June 17, Health Canada and the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water updated advice for parents of young infants using tap water to prepare infant formula during blue-green algal blooms.

The change suggests that drinking-water authorities advise residents to use an alternate source of drinking water, like bottled water, when preparing infant formula during an algal bloom or when microcystins (toxins given off by the algae)  are detected in drinking water.  The new advice takes into consideration the possible increased exposure of bottle-fed infants (up to age one) to microcystins because of their high intake of water in relation to their bodyweight.

A similar problem occurs when water containing fluoride is used to mix infant formula.  Many infants fed exclusively using dry formula mixed with fluoridated water receive twice the dose of fluoride that the Canadian Dental Association says puts them at risk of developing dental fluorosis.

Health Canada refuses to address this problem and claims that fluoridated water is safe for everyone.  They also claim that well water having as much as 1.5 parts per million fluoride is safe.   Babies consuming formula mixed using water with that level could easily consume four times the threshold dose for risk of harm.

Why isn’t Health Canada issuing any public warning to parents about this issue?

David Green
Rocky Ridge Drinking Water Limited
Peterborough