The Washington State Department of Health is evaluating the disinfection efficiency at water treatment plants throughout Washington State, including the City of Woodland.  The industry standard evaluation includes performing a tracer study to evaluate dispersion of chlorine used in the disinfection process.  Because chlorine is continuously reacting and difficult to measure, the tracer study uses a more inert substance, sodium fluoride.

Important facts about the study:

• The amount of sodium fluoride used will produce less than a 1 mg/L of fluoride in the distribution system
• Most of the fluoride introduced into the City’s water system for this study will dissipate within five days after the study is completed.
• When the City previously added fluoride to its drinking water, approximately 80 lb/week of sodium fluoride was added during the winter months.  By comparison, the tracer study will add no more than 33 lb during the entire tracer study.
• The Woodland WTP tracer study is scheduled for the week of January 9, 2017.

If you have any questions about this please contact Mike Strauch, City of Woodland Public Works Director, 360-225-7999.

Online at http://www.ci.woodland.wa.us/Fluoride.php

Notes from FAN:
• Woodland, a city in Clark and Cowlitz counties, was fluoridated in 1956
• In August 2013, the Woodland City Council voted 6-1 to end fluoridation

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