TABLELANDS Regional Council has been told it will have to put fluoride in the water of Kuranda and Malanda, but Mareeba and Atherton might still be exempt.

In July, the council decided to defer its fluoridation program after sympathetic noises from the newly elected Newman Government.

Since that time the council has written three times to the Government asking for a definitive answer.

Now they have received a copy of the Government’s amendment to the Water Fluoridation Act.

In towns where no fluoridation facilities exist, such as Mareeba (its fluoride plant is out of date) and Atherton, the council can apply for an exemption.

But in the case of Kuranda and Malanda, the water plants have already been modified for fluoridation.

“There are going to be a lot of people who are not very happy about it,” Kuranda councillor Jenny Jensen said.

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