The following are news and notes from the June 3 Neepawa council meeting . . .
• Council delayed a decision on fluoridation of water in order to consider information presented by staff and by representatives of the Manitoba Dental Association.
Staff have questioned the need and the cost of fluoridation. The cost of chemicals is about $6000 per year plus labour input at the water treatment plant.
Water Treatment Plant manager Howard Buffi said, “So little of our water is actually used for drinking it doesn’t make sense to fluoridate too much water.”
Buffi also pointed out that the Neepawa water, which is sourced from aquifer wells, has about four parts per million (4 ppm) in it naturally. The dental association feels fluoridation is very important to reduce tooth decay in the general population but especially among children and the elderly…