U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin announced on April 7 the Agency’s decision to expeditiously review new scientific information on potential health risks of fluoride in drinking water.
Fluoride is an element that may be found naturally in sources of drinking water such as groundwater. Fluoride has been added to drinking water by drinking water systems to improve dental health. Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, the EPA sets standards that limit the amount of potentially harmful substances in drinking water provided by public water systems.
The current standard is 4.0 milligrams of fluoride per liter and was last evaluated by the Agency in July 2024 prior to the latest scientific review by the National Toxicology Program that concluded with “moderate confidence” that levels above 1.5 milligrams per liter result in negative outcomes for children. For community water systems that add fluoride to drinking water, the Public Health Service has previously recommended in 2015 an optimal fluoride concentration of 0.7 milligrams/liter (mg/L).
Click here to read the EPA’s announcement.
NGWA has a best suggested practice, Reducing Problematic Concentrations of Fluoride in Residential Water Well Systems, which is free to members. Click here to learn more.