City of Abilene suspends water fluoridation

The city of Abilene has temporarily suspended fluoridation of public water supplies, according to a Monday media release.

Not adding fluoride to water is a precautionary step resulting from a recent federal court ruling in California that could result in changes to the Environmental Protection Agency’s recommendations for fluoride levels in drinking water.

“This temporary suspension is being put in place out of an abundance of caution to protect public health,” the press release stated.

Mayor Weldon Hurt and City Manager Robert Hanna discussed the changes over the weekend and agreed that a temporary suspension would do no harm while also giving the City Council a chance to provide further guidance in light of recent court rulings on fluoride.

The Abilene City Council will discuss public water fluoridation at 8:30 a.m. Thursday during its regular meeting in the council chambers on the second floor of Abilene City Hall, 555 Walnut Street.

According to a media release, the city follows federal standards and recommendations from the American Dental Association to maintain fluoride levels at 0.7 parts per million to improve public dental health.

Due to potential changes in EPA regulations – such as possible adjustments to fluoride levels or the introduction of warning labels – the city has paused fluoridation to comply with any new health and safety guidelines that may be issued.

According to a media release, the City of Abilene remains committed to providing safe, high-quality drinking water and will closely monitor any updates to federal regulations.

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This article originally appeared on the Abilene Reporter-News: City of Abilene suspends water fluoridation