Public Water Supply District No. 2 in High Ridge will stop adding fluoride to its water on Jan. 20, 2027, district officials said. The district cited supply, cost and facility-handling concerns involving hydrofluorosilicic acid.
District cites supply and storage concerns
PWSD No. 2 said hydrofluorosilicic acid has become more difficult to obtain and that its price has doubled. The district also cited risks associated with handling and storing the chemical.
The acid must be kept in cool, well-ventilated areas and has a shelf life of one month, according to the information provided by the district. Officials said ending treatment will not change the water’s taste, smell or appearance.
PWSD No. 2 officials said they had received no customer comments about ending fluoride treatment. Public comments may be made by calling 636-326-0200, emailing leslie@pwsd2.com or attending board meetings.
Fluoridation remains a local decision
Community water fluoridation has been used in the United States since the 1940s, but it is not federally mandated. The U.S. Public Health Service advised water districts in 2015 to use a fluoride concentration of 0.7 milligrams per liter, replacing a 0.7-to-1.2 milligrams-per-liter range that began in 1962.
Gwen Sullentrup said local governments decide whether to begin, continue or stop fluoridation. She also said fluoridated toothpaste and fluoride varnish do not fully replace the exposure provided through fluoridated water.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services recognizes community fluoridation as an important public health initiative. Information supplied with the district’s decision attributes about $32 in annual dental-treatment savings per person to fluoridation and says people in fluoridated districts have approximately 25 percent fewer cavities than people in non-fluoridated areas.
Other Jefferson County systems
Of the 66 Jefferson County water systems recorded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about half do not fluoridate. Public Water Supply District No. 12, which serves customers south of Festus and Crystal City, does not add fluoride.
Brad Bryant, who has worked at PWSD No. 12 for more than 20 years, said, “We have never had customers request (fluoride treatment) in my 20-plus years here.”
The Jefferson County Water Authority and Public Water Supply District No. 1 are identified as fluoridating systems.