The Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) will reduce the level of fluoride in its drinking water system beginning this week, impacting residents in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and Howard County.
The reason for this reduction stems from ongoing national supply chain issues caused by the war in Iran, DPW stated in a press release.
The war is making it harder to get hydrofluorosilicic acid, a compound commonly used for water fluoridations. A key supplier in Israel has experienced “significant operational disruptions,” according to DPW, reflecting one of the reasons for reduced output from international suppliers.
Reduced domestic production of the compound is also contributing the supply chain problems.
“This is an adjustment driven solely by supply availability,” said Matthew Garbark, director of DPW, in a statement. “We remain committed to providing safe, high-quality drinking water.”
County officials are not sure how long the change will last.
“This is an adjustment due to a disruption in the chemical supply chain,” a DPW spokesperson told Baltimore Fishbowl in an email. “The Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) supplier has not provided a timeline for when normal monthly deliveries will resume.”
Levels will be reduced from approximately 0.7 milligrams per liter to 0.4 milligrams per liter at DPW’s Ashburton and Montebello filtration plants. There are no required minimum fluoride levels, and DPW wrote that drinking water will still be safe and meet all federal and state water quality standards. Fluoride is not a regulatory required additive.
Nonetheless, fluoride is widely used as a public health measure to prevent tooth decay and strengthen teeth. Public health organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, American Dental Association, and American Academy of Pediatrics all support community water fluoridation as safe and effective for public health.
Residents, especially children and people at higher risk for tooth decay, should consult their dentist or healthcare provider about alternative sources of fluoride while levels are reduced. This adjustment will affect everyone served by the City of Baltimore’s public water system.
Residents on well water often use doctor-prescribed fluoride tablet to get the fluoride they need.
“At this time, DPW is not aware of any disruption to fluoride tablet supplies availability for individuals on well water,” the DPW spokesperson told Fishbowl. “We will continue to monitor the situation and coordinate with relevant partners should any new information become available.”
Editor’s note: This article has been updated with comments from the Baltimore City Department of Public Works.
Fluoride is detrimental to health to be ingested. Most people do not drink tap water anyway. And toothpaste is often fluoridated for application to teeth. I am going to install at great expense a filter to get it out. Anyone with thyroid issues should not ingest fluoride. Recent studies also suggest a potential link between high fluoride exposure and lower IQ in children, along with possible neurological, thyroid, and gastrointestinal issues. And whining that there is less fluoride because of the war is just political garbage.