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Pennsylvania

State Fluoride Database

Read the latest fluoride news from your state; find out if your town is fluoridated, see if any communities have recently rejected fluoridation, learn if your state has a law that mandates fluoridation, and other fluoride-related information.

Pennsylvania

WATER FLUORIDATION STATUS:

  • PERCENT OF PEOPLE SERVED BY PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS THAT ARE FLUORIDATED:
    2018:  55.7% – ranked #42 among the states (100% fluoridated is ranked #1)
    2016:  54.6%
    2014:  54.7%
    2012:  54.6%
    2006:  54.0%
    2000:  54.2%
    1992:  50.9%
  • To see if your town is fluoridated, click here.
  • To learn when your town was fluoridated, and which fluoridation chemical it uses, click here.

LATEST NEWS:

Pennsylvania’s FLUORIDATION LAW:

  • The State of Pennsylvania does not mandate fluoridation.  Local governments control fluoridation policy in PA.  City councils can begin or discontinue fluoridation at their discretion, or by a referendum vote.  Each community’s fluoridation ordinance is unique.  To learn more about these fluoridation ordinances, click here.

DATA ON ORAL HEALTH:

Of special Interest

FAN’S STATE COORDINATOR IN Pennsylvania:

If you live in PA and want to get the fluoride out of your water contact Mike Ewall, FAN’s Pennsylvania state coordinator.

Pennsylvania COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE REJECTED FLUORIDATION:

Community Population Date
State College 75,000 July 21, 2022
Shiloh 11,218 August 31, 2020
Upper Allen Township 21,000 August 31, 2020
Mechanicsburg 9,000 August 31, 2020
Montrose Borough 1,460 January 6, 2020
Bridgewater Township 2,730 January 6, 2020
Quarryville 2,576 July 7, 2018
Greater Johnson Water Authority, Pennsylvania
Serves Population in Cambria County: the City of Johnstown (19,712), Brownstown Borough (700), Dale Borough (1,160), Ferndale Borough (1,600), Lorain Borough (714), Westmont Borough (4,876), East Conemaugh Borough (1,145), Franklin Borough (300), Southmont Borough (2,150), Conemaugh Township (2,000), Middle Taylor Township (800), Stonycreek Township (2,000), Lower Yoder Township (2,500), Upper Yoder Township (5,000) and West Taylor (6,000).
And Conemaugh Township in Somerset County (2,000).		 52,657 July 20, 2017
Patton 1,769 Oct 31, 2016 (on or after)
Guilford Township 26,000
Combined Pop.		 March 15, 2016
Greene Township
Brackenridge Borough 3,240 February 2015
Schuylkill Haven 5,340 January 7, 2015
Ford City 3,000 December 29, 2014
Bucks County 385,000 July 1, 2014
Tyrone 5,500 March 2013
West Manheim 8,000 April 8, 2012
Myerstown  3,500  January 13, 2012
Pottstown 15,500  August 16, 2011
Schuylkill Haven 5,500  January 19, 2011
Conewango Township 4,000  May 2008
Glade Township 4,000  May 2008
Mead Township 1,560  May 2008
Pleasant Township 2,600  May 2008
Altoona 46,000  May 2008
Shaler 8,981
(as of 2010)		 February 11, 2003
Yardley 2,440
(as of 2011)		  April 16, 1997
York 43,884
(as of 2011)		  July 29, 1995

WATER FLUORIDATION ACCIDENTS:

  • JUNE 1972 – Northeast Bradford Elementary School, Rome:  Records show fluoride at 48 ppm in water and 230 ppm in coffee. 150 students attending a school picnic vomit after drinking orange juice made with the water. (SOURCE: Bevis 1981)
  • August 20, 1975 – Lebanon:
    Storage tank holding 6,000 gallons of hydrofluosilicic acid (fluoride) ruptured. Substantial damage to water plant. Approximately 1,500 gallons went into drains below plant threatening structure. DER (Dept. of Env. Resources) reported fluoride leaked into holding ponds and Swatara Creek killing fish. Source: Lebanon Daily News, NFN (July-Sept. 1975)

POLLUTION SOURCES IN PENNSYLVANIA:

In 2008, Pennsylvania ranked #2 out of 48 states for Hydrogen Fluoride releases (4,520,465   pounds). Industry also emitted 51 pounds of Fluoride into the environment. The following data comes from EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory (TRI). “Total releases” includes both water and air pollution. It’s important to note, however, that not all industries or sources that release fluoride into the environment are included in the TRI.

2008 Releases
Fluoride in pounds
 Type of Industry Name of Industry
1,500,005 Coal-fired power plant RRI ENERGY INC KEYSTONE POWER PLANT. 313 KEYSTONE DR, SHELOCTA, Pennsylvania 15774 (ARMSTRONG)
521,463 Coal-fired power plant BRUNNER ISLAND STEAM ELECTRIC STATION. WAGO RD PPL BRUNNER ISLAND SES, YORK HAVEN, Pennsylvania 17370 (YORK)
520,000 Coal-fired power plant HATFIELD POWER STATION. 2907 E ROY FURMAN HWY, MASONTOWN, Pennsylvania 15461 (GREENE)
360,005 Coal-fired power plant EME HOMER CITY GENERATION LP. 1750 POWER PLANT RD, HOMER CITY, Pennsylvania 15748 (INDIANA)
250,005 Coal-fired power plant RRI ENERGY INC SHAWVILLE STATION. 250 POWER PLANT DR, SHAWVILLE, Pennsylvania 16873 (CLEARFIELD)
230,005 Coal-fired power plant RRI ENERGY INC PORTLAND POWER PLANT. 5027 RIVER RD, MOUNT BETHEL, Pennsylvania 18343 (NORTHAMPTON)
195,254 Coal-fired power plant SUNBURY GENERATION LP. OLD SUSQUEHANNA TRAIL, SHAMOKIN DAM, Pennsylvania 17876 (SNYDER)
144,522 Coal-fired power plant CHESWICK POWER PLANT. PITTSBURGH & PORTER ST, SPRINGDALE, Pennsylvania 15144 (ALLEGHENY)
141,568 Coal-fired power plant MONTOUR STEAM ELECTRIC STATION. 18 MCMICHAEL RD, DANVILLE, Pennsylvania 17821 (MONTOUR)
130,005 Coal-fired power plant RRI ENERGY INC TITUS POWER PLANT. 296 POPLAR NECK RD, BIRDSBORO, Pennsylvania 19508 (BERKS)
80,000 Coal-fired power plant ALLEGHENY ENERGY INC ARMSTRONG POWER STATION. R D 1 STATE RTE 4006, KITTANNING, Pennsylvania 16201 (ARMSTRONG)
72,005 Coal-fired power plant RRI ENERGY INC CONEMAUGH POWER PLANT. 1442 POWER PLANT RD, NEW FLORENCE, Pennsylvania 15944 (INDIANA)
71,460 Coal-fired power plant NEW CASTLE POWER PLANT. STATE RT 168 S PO BOX 325, WEST PITTSBURG, Pennsylvania 16160 (LAWRENCE)
61,760 Coal-fired power plant BRUCE MANSFIELD POWER PLANT. OFF RT 168 NEAR OHIO RIVER, SHIPPINGPORT, Pennsylvania 15077 (BEAVER)
46,046 Stone/Clay/Glass MCAVOY VITIRFIED BRICK CO. 75 MCAVOY LN, PHOENIXVILLE, Pennsylvania 19460 (CHESTER)
41,000 Primary Metals HORSEHEAD CORP MONACA SMELTER. 300 FRANKFORT RD, MONACA, Pennsylvania 15061 (BEAVER)
33,468 Chemicals AIR PRODUCTS & CHEMICALS INC ELECTRONICS SPECIALTY MATERIALS. 357 MARIAN AVE, TAMAQUA, Pennsylvania 18252 (SCHUYLKILL)
22,525 Primary Metals AK STEEL–BUTLER WORKS. RT 8 S, BUTLER, Pennsylvania 16003 (BUTLER)
19,773 Stone/Clay/Glass WATSONTOWN BRICK CO. RTE 405, WATSONTOWN, Pennsylvania 17777 (NORTHUMBERLAND)
17,284 Paper P H GLATFELTER CO – SPRING GROVE MILL. 228 S MAIN ST, SPRING GROVE, Pennsylvania 17362 (YORK)
17,159 Stone/Clay/Glass GLEN-GERY CORP. 1090 E BOUNDARY AVE, YORK, Pennsylvania 17405 (YORK)
15,825 Coal-fired power plant NORTHEASTERN POWER CO. RT 309 1 MILE S OF MCADOO, MC ADOO, Pennsylvania 18237 (SCHUYLKILL)
10,148 Primary Metals SANDVIK MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY. 982 GRIFFIN POND RD, CLARKS SUMMIT, Pennsylvania 18411 (LACKAWANNA)
6,072 Coal-fired power plant EDDYSTONE GENERATING STATION. 1 INDUSTRIAL HWY, EDDYSTONE, Pennsylvania 19022 (DELAWARE)
5,900 Coal-fired power plant MITCHELL POWER STATION. 50 ELECTRIC WAY, COURTNEY, Pennsylvania 15067 (WASHINGTON)
4,623 Primary Metals CABOT SUPERMETALS. 650 COUNTY LINE RD, BOYERTOWN, Pennsylvania 19512 (BERKS)
4,591 Coal-fired power plant COGENTRIX ENERGY NORTHAMPTON GENERATING PLANT. 1 HORWITH DR, NORTHAMPTON, Pennsylvania 18067 (NORTHAMPTON)
4,268 Stone/Clay/Glass GLEN-GERY CORP MID ATLA NTIC PLANT. 423 S POTTSVILLE PIKE, SHOEMAKERSVILLE, Pennsylvania 19555 (BERKS)
3,900 Coal-fired power plant RRI ENERGY INC ELRAMA POWER PLANT. 30 DUQUESNE LIGHT WAY, ELRAMA, Pennsylvania 15038 (WASHINGTON)
2,665 Primary Metals MARCEGAGLIA USA MUNHALL PLANT. 1001 E WATERFRONT DR, MUNHALL, Pennsylvania 15120 (ALLEGHENY)
2,134 Primary Metals JESSOP STEEL CO. 500 GREEN ST, WASHINGTON, Pennsylvania 15301 (WASHINGTON)
1,659 Stone/Clay/Glass REDLAND BRICK INC- HARMAR PLANT. 230 RICH HILL RD, CHESWICK, Pennsylvania 15024 (ALLEGHENY)
1,439 Primary Metals ALLEGHENY LUDLUM CORP. 100 RIVER RD, BRACKENRIDGE, Pennsylvania 15014 (ALLEGHENY)
1,420 Stone/Clay/Glass GLEN-GERY CORP. RT 28, SUMMERVILLE, Pennsylvania 15864 (JEFFERSON)
1,221 Primary Metals PENN STATE SPECIAL METALS LLC. 7544 RT 18 N, KOPPEL, Pennsylvania 16136 (BEAVER)
897 Petroleum SUNOCO INC (R&M) PHILADELPHIA REFINERY. 3144 PASSYUNK AVE, PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania 19145 (PHILADELPHIA)
871 Primary Metals SUPERIOR TUBE CO INC. 3900 GERMANTOWN PIKE, COLLEGEVILLE, Pennsylvania 19426 (MONTGOMERY)
556 Primary Metals CARPENTER TECHNOLOGY CORP. 101 W BERN ST, READING, Pennsylvania 19601 (BERKS)
524 Primary Metals DYNAMET INC. 195 MUSEUM RD, WASHINGTON, Pennsylvania 15301 (WASHINGTON)
298 Stone/Clay/Glass OSRAM SYLVANIA PRODUCTS INC. 1 JACKSON ST, WELLSBORO, Pennsylvania 16901 (TIOGA)
255 Computers/Electronics FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR. 125 CRESTWOOD RD, MOUNTAIN TOP, Pennsylvania 18707 (LUZERNE)
198 Fabricated Metals TECH MET INC. 15 ALLEGHENY SQUARE, GLASSPORT, Pennsylvania 15045 (ALLEGHENY)
178 Primary Metals ALLEGHENY LUDLUM CORP. 130 LINCOLN AVE, VANDERGRIFT, Pennsylvania 15690 (WESTMORELAND)
120 Coal-fired power plant RRI ENERGY INC SEWARD POWER PLANT. 595 PLANT RD, NEW FLORENCE, Pennsylvania 15944 (INDIANA)
110 Primary Metals WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CO. 559 WESTINGHOUSE RD, BLAIRSVILLE, Pennsylvania 15717 (WESTMORELAND)
102 Primary Metals JEWEL ACQUISITION LLC – MIDLAND PLANT. 950 TENTH ST, MIDLAND, Pennsylvania 15059 (BEAVER)
51 FLUORINE RELEASES AIR PRODUCTS & CHEMICALS INC ELECTRONICS SPECIALTY MATERIALS. 357 MARIAN AVE, TAMAQUA, Pennsylvania 18252 (SCHUYLKILL)
36 Coal-fired power plant SCRUBGRASS GENERATING PLANT. 2151 LISBON RD, KENNERDELL, Pennsylvania 16374 (VENANGO)
24 Coal-fired power plant WPS WESTWOOD GENERATION LLC. US RT 209, TREMONT, Pennsylvania 17981 (SCHUYLKILL)
10 Chemicals MINRAD INC. 3950 SCHELDEN CIR, BETHLEHEM, Pennsylvania 18017 (NORTHAMPTON)
2 Petroleum CONOCOPHILLIPS CO – TRAINER REFINERY. 4101 POST RD, TRAINER, Pennsylvania 19061 (DELAWARE)