RIDGELAND, Miss. (WJTV) – Ridgeland Mayor Gene McGee and the Board of Aldermen heard from state health leaders on Tuesday about the pros and cons of fluoride in the city’s water.
McGee said the city hasn’t had fluoride present in the water since the pandemic. Now, city leaders are trying to figure out if it’s necessary to restore fluoride in the drinking water.
“It was determined that rather than going ahead and making the investment of putting all the equipment in and trying to get everything to at least look and see if it would be necessary to have fluoride in drinking water or not,” the mayor stated.
Health experts said fluoride helps aid in fighting cavities and can be found in food and water, but there are guidelines to follow.
“Again, I just have to say that the State Board of Health is in support of this, and it’s the right dose when you have it at the right dose,” said Karen Walters, deputy director of the Public Water Supply.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state and local governments decide whether to enforce water fluoridation.
“We’re not using it right now, because we were unable to get it during COVID,” McGee said.
The issue right now is whether to start using fluoride in the water, which is still up for debate. McGee said it will likely be several months from now before a decision is made.
Original article online at: https://www.wjtv.com/news/local-news/ridgeland-debates-restoring-fluoride-to-drinking-water/