Fitzroy River Water is installing fluoridation equipment worth $1.3 million at the Mount Morgan and Woodbury Water Treatment Plants.

This will help meet the State Government’s requirement of adding fluoride to the water supply of Mount Morgan and the Capricorn Coast by December 31.

Rockhampton Regional Council Mayor Brad Carter said the $1.3M total project cost was eligible to be fully refunded via the State Government fluoridation capital assistance program.

Cr Carter said the introduction of fluoride to our drinking water was a legal requirement the Water Fluoridation Act 2008 has placed on public water suppliers servicing communities of more than 1000 people.

“In February 2008 Premier Anna Bligh announced the requirement for councils to fluoridate Queensland’s water supplies between 2008 and 2012,” Cr Carter said.

Water Committee chairman, Cr Greg Belz said council had met these strict State Government requirements, ensuring that fluoridation of the drinking water supplied to Rockhampton, The Caves and Gracemere was commenced before December 31 last year.

“While council is required by State Government law to have the fluoridation of water for the Capricorn Coast operational by December 31, 2010, the completion of the Rockhampton to Yeppoon pipeline has enabled the early delivery of a secure water supply which is already fluoridated,” Cr Belz said.

“Fluoride dosing equipment will be delivered to the Woodbury Water Treatment Plant on October 19 and to the Mount Morgan Water Treatment Plant on October 27.

“Buildings to house the fluoride dosing system will be completed at each site in late October with commissioning of the equipment to commence in early November,” he said.