FLUORIDE could be added to water supplies in Attunga, Barraba, Bendemeer and Nundle as the state government reviews its code of practice for NSW water supplies.
Tamworth Regional Council recently received a letter from health minister Brad Hazzard which highlighted the funding available for local governments looking to fluoridate their water supplies.
The Calala water treatment plant which supplies residents in Tamworth, Moonbi and Kootingal adds fluoride to the water, as does the Manilla facility.
However, water supplies in Attunga, Barraba, Bendemeer and Nundle currently do not have fluoride dosing systems installed.
While Mr Hazzard’s letter to council stated the “NSW government continued to support the fluoridation of drinking water as a safe, effective and equitable way to help prevent tooth decay in the community”, council has been urged to hold off on adding fluoride to the village supplies.
“In order to install fluoride dosing systems at these water supplies and to comply with the NSW Code of Practice for Fluoridation, daily inspections would be required leading to significant operational cost increases,” water manager Dan Coe said in his report to council.
The current code of practice is under review by NSW Health with input from the water industry with the clause requiring daily inspections being reviewed.
The report suggests councillors vote in favour of noting the health minister’s correspondence and wait “for a revised version of the NSW Code of Practice for Fluoridation to be adopted prior to considering the fluoridation of water supplies currently not fluoridated”, including the village supplies.
*Original article online at https://www.northerndailyleader.com.au/story/5725977/tamworth-villages-could-have-fluoride-added-to-water-supplies/?cs=12
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