The Mount Isa Mayor says giving residents a say on fluoride is important because it is such a contentious issue.
The council has unanimously supported holding a non-compulsory referendum, with the result binding as long as more than half of the registered voters take part.
Tony McGrady says at this stage he is not sure how much the referendum will cost but he says there will only be one polling centre open on the day.
He says the vote will take place on July 27.
“Councils … are elected to govern but there are always issues where people want to have a say [on] very, very divisive issues and this is one of those,” he said.
“If people are concerned about the cost of this let me tell you I will be watching every single cent.
“It’s not going to cost anywhere near $80,000.
“So it won’t be nothing like the cost of a normal election.”