At Austin Water, our top priority is the safety and quality of your drinking water. Our professional staff are responsible for protecting vital infrastructure, treatment reliability, and conducting continual testing and monitoring to verify that our treated drinking water meets all regulatory requirements under the Safe Drinking Water Act. For over a century, Austin Water has been at the forefront of providing exceptional service to our community. We understand the critical role we play in protecting public health and we will follow direction from our regulatory authorities, policymakers, and the community we serve.
As a regulated public water system, we rely on standards and regulations designed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to safeguard public health. We are closely following the EPA’s review of fluoridation safety. We will evaluate and adjust our treatment protocols based on their rulings.
Background
Fluoride is a naturally occurring chemical compound found in many ground waters. In the 1920s and 1930s a link was made between fluoride concentrations in drinking water and a reduction in tooth decay. In 1945, municipalities began adding fluoride to drinking water to fight tooth decay. Follow up studies in these communities over 13-15 years showed a 50-70% reduction in cavities.
Because of the potential public health benefits to residents, the City of Austin held a public vote on fluoridation in the early 1970s. The referendum passed with the support of the community, and Austin Water began adding fluoride to the water on February 2, 1973.
On December 15, 2011, Austin City Council voted to continue fluoridating, in accordance with public health recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and the City's Health and Human Services Department. Austin Water must follow the current fluoridation policies until they are changed or no longer in place.
Austin Water’s fluoridation is done in accordance with local and national public health agencies and the American Water Works Association (AWWA). AWWA supports the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), American Medical Association (AMA), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Canadian Medical Association (CMA), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), American Dental Association (ADA), and Canadian Dental Association (CDA), for the fluoridation of public water supplies as a public health benefit.
Austin Water will closely monitor the actions the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) takes in response to a recent federal court ruling in California. The ruling does not require immediate changes to any water system’s fluoridation practices, and it does not overrule the EPA’s existing drinking water standards for fluoride. The EPA has not yet reacted publicly to the ruling. Austin Water will also continue to coordinate with the Austin Public Health Department, as we have always done regarding fluoridation of Austin’s drinking water, to ensure the protection of public health.
Fluoride and Infants
Water fluoridated at a level optimal for oral health (as is used in Austin) poses no known health risks for infants. However, some children may develop enamel fluorosis, a cosmetic condition where faint white markings or streaks may appear on the teeth. Fluorosis can affect both baby teeth and permanent teeth while they’re forming under the gums.
If you’re concerned about fluorosis, you can minimize your baby’s exposure to fluoride in several ways. Breast feeding is the best source of nutrition for infants. If breast feeding is not possible, you can minimize fluoride exposure by using ready-to-feed formula. You can also alternate tap water and non-fluoridated water for formula preparation, or mix powered or liquid infant formula concentrate with low-fluoride water most or all of the time. If you use only non-fluoridated water, such as purified, deionized or distilled water to prepare your baby’s formula your doctor may recommend fluoride supplements beginning at six months.