Sarnia voters could be voting on water fluoridation come the next municipal election.

Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley says he’s planning to bring a motion forward to council calling for the city to hold a plebiscite on the contentious issue.

The move comes after the issue of water fluoridation returned to council chambers Monday night.

Sarnia resident Rod Gowrie called on council Monday to take steps to express its opposition to water fluoridation based on the findings of scientific research he has collected.

He said water coming from the Lambton Area Water Supply System (LAWSS) – the provider of drinking water for several local municipalities – contains at least 14 chemicals classified as having “substantial risk of developmental neurotoxicity” by the Environmental Protection Agency.

“Fluoride is rated slightly more toxic than lead and slightly less toxic than arsenic,” he told council Monday.

He called on council to send an indemnification letter to LAWSS notifying the agency of its opposition to water fluoridation.

But council instead opted Monday to call on Lambton County’s medical officer of health to advise on the matter.

“I see a big benefit to having the medical officer of health’s opinion on it,” said Coun. Dave Boushy. “If the medical officer of health is against it, that could swing the other member municipalities because they all pay for the medical officer of health through the county.”

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