MADISON, Ala. (WHNT) — Citizens filled nearly every seat in the Madison City Hall Monday night to speak on Madison Utilities Water Board’s decision to stop adding fluoride to drinking water.
During a meeting on March 17, The Madison Utilities Board voted unanimously to stop adding additional fluoride as a part of the water treatment process.
In a statement sent to News 19 Monday, the board said the decision was made because of concerns for employees’ health and safety and because of the way using hydrofluorosilicic acid impacted their treatment facilities. Hydrofluorosilicic acid is used to adjust the amounts of fluoride in water. Madison utilities said using the acid was causing structural degradation to their facilities, leading to ongoing maintenance costs.
At the meeting Monday, Madison Utilities Water Manager David Moore echoed this statement while showing photos of the damage.
“The corrosiveness because of this chemical,” Moore said. “This is just from the fumes of this liquid even though it’s in a ventilated type of area.”
Some Madison residents, like Karen Thornton, questioned how the utility company came to this conclusion.
“He showed us some photos of rust in a water treatment facility with, you know, water which, you know, corrodes metal,” Thornton said.
Thornton added that the city follows the recommended dosage of 0.7 ppm, supported by the CDC.
“In the wrong dose, anything will kill you,” Thornton said. “But in the right dose, it could save your life.”
Madison City Councilors said that, besides the councilwoman who serves on the Water Board, they were not consulted and found out about this decision alongside the public.
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral present in a lot of drinking water. Madison Utilities said the change will not impact the fluoride that naturally exists in the water supply.
For more than 70 years, the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) has approved the addition of regulated levels of fluoride to water in the state. It has been proven to be safe and effective in decreasing the number of cavities in a community, according to ADPH.
Kathy Patrick, a Madison resident who said she works in a chemical facility, applauded the utility company’s decision.
“There’s a mental health crisis going on in this country,” Patrick said. “And we’re questioning somebody’s decision to remove a neurotoxin from our water supply because we’re worried about cavities.”
Patrick went on to say that if people want to consume fluoride, they should do that on their own rather than force consumption onto others.
“Fluoride is a lot is very readily available in toothpaste,” Patrick said. “It’s actually hard to find a toothpaste that does not have fluoride in it.
One thing both sides agreed on: they wish regular citizens were more involved in the decision-making process.
“I totally endorse the thought that it ought to be on the ballot,” A concerned resident said. “This is something that is going to affect every citizen.”
While the meeting tonight had no authority to overturn the vote, Madison City Council President Pro Tempore Ranae Bartlett said Councilwoman Connie Spears, a representative on the Water Board, encourages any concerned citizens to reach out directly to her.
“If a number of people contact her, she will ask the board to reconsider the decision,” Bartlett said. “And she’s in power to do that.”
The next Water Board meeting is May 5.
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