Water Fluoridation

In November 2007 the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which provides water to Western Municipal Water District that in turn delivers water to your home or business, began adding fluoride to its treated water supply. This is being done based on recommendations from the California Department of Public Health, the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Dental Association. Metropolitan now joins more than 14,000 communities across the nation that have fluoridated water supplies.

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You will not notice a change in the taste, smell or appearance of your water—nor in the amount of your water bill because this program will be managed within the current water rates. Water fluoridation is not a new concept. Cities across the nation have been adding fluoride to their water supplies for decades. In addition, many cities in California have recently joined the long list of communities benefiting from water fluoridation. Metropolitan now joins more than 14,000 communities across the nation that have fluoridated water supplies.

Fluoride FAQ

Your water supply & fluoride

Water delivered by Western to our customers will remain below the regulated dosage of 2 parts per million (ppm) with an optimal level of 0.8 ppm. This follows the recommendations of the California Department of Public Health, the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Dental Association. Fluoride levels in drinking water are limited under California state regulations at a maximum dosage of 2 parts per million (ppm). Groundwater in Murrieta is blended with the imported Metroplitan water source. The combination of the two sources will not exceed the maximum recommended dosage for the area.

Benefits of fluoridated water
According to extensive research conducted over the past 50 years, water fluoridation is safe and healthy. Water fluoridation is the single, most cost-effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay and improve oral health.

Drinking fluoridated water, as part of your diet, will provide about 60 percent of the protection necessary to fight against cavities. Fluoride works to strengthen tooth enamel so teeth become more resistant to decay, and it reverses newly formed cavities.

This is a particular advantage for children. Fluoride also prevents cavities in the root surfaces of teeth for older adults when their gums start to recede.

Plan for system wide coverage
The Metropolitan Fluoridation Implementation Plan includes supplying treated drinking water with an “optimal” level of fluoride recommended by the California Department of Public Health. Metropolitan’s program to fluoridate its source water includes the most advanced feed control system in the country, with 24-hour monitoring to ensure consistent levels of fluoride. Metropolitan’s water sources have always naturally contained a certain amount of fluoride. However, the current levels are not sufficient to protect against tooth decay. Metropolitan will slightly increase the fluoride level in its water supplies to the recommended optimal range that is proven to be safe and effective in preventing tooth decay.

Fluoridated water and fluoride supplements
Drinking fluoridated water on a regular basis makes the use of fluoride tablets or drops unnecessary.
However, the continued use of fluoride treatments by professional dental caregivers is recommended. Drinking fluoridated water should be part of a total treatment plan for healthy gums and teeth, combined with brushing and flossing your teeth regularly and using less sugar in your diet. Customers who do not wish to drink fluoridated water should know that most bottled waters contain levels of fluoride below the optimum range. Home water treatment units that use reverse osmosis membrane filtration will effectively remove fluoride. However, activated carbon filters will not. As always, customers should check for state certification for fluoride removal on any home water treatment unit being considered.

A list of state-certified water treatment devices may be found at www.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/device/pages/watertreatmentdevices.aspx .

For more information on fluoridated drinking water, contact Western Municipal Water District’s public affairs office at (951) 789-5055. For additional fluoride information visit the American Dental Association website at www.ada.org/ public/topics/fluoride/news.asp or the Metropolitan website at www.mwdh2o.com/fluoridation/index.html.