TOOWOOMBA Regional Councillor John Gouldson is unlikely to support moves to dismantle the region’s existing water fluoridation system.

Cr Gouldson has reserved his judgment until he is presented with all the data at tomorrow’s council meeting, but said his gut feeling was that he would “vote for the status quo to remain”.

The pivotal verdict comes after the Newman Government in November reversed the 2008 state-wide mandatory fluoridation scheme instigated by Labor, handing the choice back to local councils.

Crs Nancy Sommerfield and Bill Cahill have already made clear their intention to vote against continuing the program.

Cr Gouldson said he would wait for two reports before making his vote – one detailing the running costs of maintaining the current system and another describing the cost of its removal.

“I think where it is installed, it should probably remain installed,” he said.

“However, I can’t see the point in paying the exorbitant cost of installing it in small country towns.

“It just wouldn’t be economical.”