New Fluoride Concentration Levels for DMWW Finished Water
Effective Monday, January 10, Des Moines Water Works (DMWW) will adjust dosage levels of fluoride such that the final concentration is 0.7 parts per million (ppm) in finished water at both Fleur Drive and L.D. McMullen Treatment Plants. Natural levels of fluoride in DMWW’s source water range from 0.2 to 0.5 ppm.
This adjustment is in accordance to recent recommendations by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), American Dental Association, American Water Works Association and Iowa Department of Public Health.
According to HHS and EPA, the adjustment will maximize the health benefits of water fluoridation, an important tool in the prevention of tooth decay while reducing the possibility of children receiving too much fluoride.
“The 0.7 ppm adjustment continues to promote the importance of community water fluoridation as a means to decrease dental decay while accounting for the presence of other fluoride containing products and exposure,” says Randy Beavers, CEO and General Manger, Des Moines Water Works. “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to name fluoridation of drinking water one of the ten great public health achievements of the 20th century.”
This adjustment reflects DMWW’s continued support of national and state health policy for the benefit of water fluoridation and reassures customers that adjustments in practices will occur periodically as new scientific evidence becomes available.