Brookhaven is one of 26 water systems in Mississippi that no longer add fluoride, or are in the process of abandoning the process.
“I know there’s been some concern about fluoride levels in our water,” City Water Administrator Kayla Watts said to the Board of Aldermen at its most recent meeting. “We have permission from our Health Department to not be putting fluoride in our water. We are not fluoridating our water.”
Alderman-at-large Ronald Hines said he was interested in how this will affect consumers’ water bills — if removing the fluoride would bring the bills down.
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“Unfortunately, by law, the water department funds itself,” Watts said. “We will not see our water rates drop. We have one of the lowest rates in Mississippi. The bills include water rates, sewer rates, garbage pickup and debris removal.”
In early January, the Public Service Commission unanimously passed a resolution calling for the “removal of sodium fluoride additives in drinking water.” Water systems began using fluoride as a treatment measure to prevent tooth decay in 1945.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says fluoridated water reduces cavities by 25 percent. The Mississippi State Department of Health encourages fluoride use for oral health. But many water systems nationwide have begun to remove the additive. Utah was the first state to ban fluoridation of its water systems.
“Mississippians deserve to know what is being added to their drinking water and why,” said Central District Public Service Commissioner De’Keither Stamps, who introduced the resolution. “This resolution is rooted in transparency, safety and affordability. We want to help water systems reduce avoidable chemical costs while ensuring families have confidence in the quality of the water coming into their homes.”
Neither the state nor federal government require the use of fluoride in water system treatments, and opponents often point to the use of fluoridated toothpaste as a reason to not use the additive in drinking water.
Fluoridation of water occurs in approximately 75 percent of the U.S. water supply. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Dental Association all recommend community fluoridation programs. Beginning in 1962, the U.S. Public Health Service recommended public water supplies contain 0.7 to 1.2 mg/Liter of fluoride to help prevent tooth decay. In 2015, the recommendation was set a 0.7 mg/L. Some amounts of the chemical occur naturally in water, soil, and certain foods.
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In 2001, the Mississippi State Board of Dental Examiners stated its support of statewide fluoridation in drinking water systems.
MSDH spokesperson Greg Flynn said two Mississippi systems have completely discontinued fluoride treatment — Forrest County’s Sunrise Utility Association, and the town of Louise in Humphreys County. The state does not require the use of fluoride, but citizens must be informed.
As of December, 26 total other systems were in the process of no longer using fluoride, according to MSDH, including Brookhaven, Monticello, and Crystal Springs.
Original article online at: https://dailyleader.com/2026/01/25/water-administrator-no-fluoride-in-brookhavens-water/