Fluoride
Middletown Water Department
Fluoride occurs naturally in surface and groundwater and is also added to drinking water by many water systems. Read More.
Fluoride has been promoted as a chemical that reduces dental cavities. Yet it is now well-established that fluoride primarily exerts its protective effects through topical mechanisms, such as sodium fluoride in toothpaste and mouthwash. In contrast, long-term ingestion of fluoride in water increases dental fluorosis, which includes mottling, pitting and weakening of the teeth. EPA's maximum legal limit is set at 4 parts per million (ppm) to prevent skeletal fluorosis, a condition where bones become brittle and more susceptible to fractures, although these effects may occur at lower doses.
Even fluoride levels of 0.7 ppm, the amount of fluoride in drinking water recommended by the U.S. Public Health Service, can result in too much fluoride for bottle-fed babies. EWG recommends that caregivers mix baby formula with fluoride-free water. The National Toxicology Program is investigating the potential for low doses of fluoride to alter thyroid function and childhood brain development.
Samples
Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)
Samples exceeding
health guidelines
Testing results - average by year
| Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2014 | 0.638 ppm | 19 | 19 | 0.345 ppm - 0.870 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.529 ppm | 30 | 30 | 0.151 ppm - 1.000 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.427 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.128 ppm - 0.804 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.451 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.170 ppm - 0.856 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.550 ppm | 24 | 19 | ND - 1.10 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.543 ppm | 26 | 26 | 0.265 ppm - 0.975 ppm |
ppm = parts per million
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 4 ppm
ppm = parts per million
All test results
| Date | Lab ID | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-01-08 | L4894376-1 | 0.371 ppm |
| 2014-02-19 | L4947713-1 | 0.345 ppm |
| 2014-02-28 | L4954505-1 | 0.726 ppm |
| 2014-03-25 | L4988329-01 | 0.785 ppm |
| 2014-04-02 | L5005482-1 | 0.773 ppm |
| 2014-05-12 | L5052419-1 | 0.639 ppm |
| 2014-06-12 | L5106321-1 | 0.777 ppm |
| 2014-07-07 | L5148255-1 | 0.759 ppm |
| 2014-08-01 | L5179871-1 | 0.691 ppm |
| 2014-09-05 | L5236083-1 | 0.653 ppm |
| 2014-09-30 | L5259346-1 | 0.593 ppm |
| 2014-10-07 | L5275755-1 | 0.688 ppm |
| 2014-10-07 | L5275755-2 | 0.596 ppm |
| 2014-11-06 | L5316363-1 | 0.763 ppm |
| 2014-11-14 | L5324200-1 | 0.385 ppm |
| 2014-12-03 | L5351989-1 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2014-12-03 | L5351989-2 | 0.442 ppm |
| 2014-12-30 | S612353 | 0.620 ppm |
| 2014-12-30 | S612354 | 0.870 ppm |
| 2015-01-05 | L5393023-1 | 0.427 ppm |
| 2015-01-05 | L5393023-2 | 0.683 ppm |
| 2015-02-02 | L5438372-1 | 0.607 ppm |
| 2015-02-02 | L5438372-2 | 0.415 ppm |
| 2015-03-04 | L5485353-1 | 0.765 ppm |
| 2015-03-04 | L5485353-2 | 0.491 ppm |
| 2015-03-04 | S536760 | 0.610 ppm |
| 2015-03-04 | S536761 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2015-04-17 | L5542124-1 | 0.515 ppm |
| 2015-04-27 | L5551590-1 | 0.151 ppm |
| 2015-05-22 | L5599472-1 | 0.754 ppm |
| 2015-05-22 | L5599472-2 | 0.333 ppm |
| 2015-06-02 | L5627861-1 | 0.810 ppm |
| 2015-06-19 | L5658166-1 | 0.244 ppm |
| 2015-07-16 | L5712243-1 | 0.242 ppm |
| 2015-07-16 | L5712243-2 | 0.651 ppm |
| 2015-08-03 | L5737092-1 | 0.722 ppm |
| 2015-08-03 | L5737092-2 | 0.721 ppm |
| 2015-08-06 | L5753719-1 | 0.736 ppm |
| 2015-08-06 | L5753719-2 | 0.205 ppm |
| 2015-09-09 | L5810237-1 | 0.683 ppm |
| 2015-09-09 | L5810237-2 | 0.223 ppm |
| 2015-10-08 | L5855241-1 | 0.248 ppm |
| 2015-10-08 | L5855241-2 | 0.642 ppm |
| 2015-11-06 | L5903565-1 | 0.517 ppm |
| 2015-11-06 | L5903565-2 | 0.266 ppm |
| 2015-12-11 | L5957230-1 | 0.590 ppm |
| 2015-12-11 | L5957230-2 | 0.227 ppm |
| 2015-12-17 | L5963946-1 | 0.706 ppm |
| 2015-12-17 | L5963946-2 | 0.683 ppm |
| 2016-01-05 | L6006258-6 | 0.128 ppm |
| 2016-01-05 | L6006258-7 | 0.218 ppm |
| 2016-02-02 | L6054944-6 | 0.626 ppm |
| 2016-02-02 | L6054944-7 | 0.394 ppm |
| 2016-03-01 | L6109001-6 | 0.629 ppm |
| 2016-03-01 | L6109001-7 | 0.246 ppm |
| 2016-04-05 | L6167176-6 | 0.567 ppm |
| 2016-04-05 | L6167176-7 | 0.246 ppm |
| 2016-05-03 | L6234001-6 | 0.487 ppm |
| 2016-05-03 | L6234001-7 | 0.219 ppm |
| 2016-06-07 | L6302585-6 | 0.471 ppm |
| 2016-06-07 | L6302585-7 | 0.198 ppm |
| 2016-07-05 | L6354767-6 | 0.594 ppm |
| 2016-07-05 | L6354767-7 | 0.298 ppm |
| 2016-08-02 | L6404604-6 | 0.647 ppm |
| 2016-08-02 | L6404604-7 | 0.326 ppm |
| 2016-09-07 | L6459056-6 | 0.639 ppm |
| 2016-09-07 | L6459056-7 | 0.295 ppm |
| 2016-10-11 | S719496 | 0.300 ppm |
| 2016-10-11 | S719497 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2016-11-07 | L6543291-6 | 0.618 ppm |
| 2016-11-07 | L6543291-7 | 0.297 ppm |
| 2016-12-06 | L6581660-6 | 0.804 ppm |
| 2016-12-06 | L6581660-7 | 0.314 ppm |
| 2017-01-03 | L6624921-6 | 0.734 ppm |
| 2017-01-03 | L6624921-7 | 0.331 ppm |
| 2017-02-07 | L6672911-6 | 0.762 ppm |
| 2017-02-07 | L6672911-7 | 0.304 ppm |
| 2017-04-05 | L6753865-1 FL | 0.289 ppm |
| 2017-04-05 | L6753865-6 FL | 0.673 ppm |
| 2017-05-10 | L6800953-6 | 0.674 ppm |
| 2017-05-10 | L6800953-7 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2017-06-06 | L6839566-6 | 0.856 ppm |
| 2017-06-06 | L6839566-7 | 0.269 ppm |
| 2017-07-11 | L6900426-6 | 0.754 ppm |
| 2017-07-11 | L6900426-7 | 0.271 ppm |
| 2017-08-01 | L6926432-6 | 0.404 ppm |
| 2017-08-01 | L6926432-7 | 0.282 ppm |
| 2017-09-05 | L6946064-6 | 0.393 ppm |
| 2017-09-05 | L6946064-7 | 0.289 ppm |
| 2017-10-03 | L6957563-6 | 0.538 ppm |
| 2017-10-03 | L6957563-7 | 0.244 ppm |
| 2017-11-07 | L6968830-6 | 0.516 ppm |
| 2017-11-07 | L6968830-7 | 0.555 ppm |
| 2017-12-06 | L6979293-6 | 0.357 ppm |
| 2017-12-06 | L6979293-7 | 0.258 ppm |
| 2017-12-26 | S782283 | 0.300 ppm |
| 2017-12-26 | S782284 | 0.170 ppm |
| 2018-01-02 | L6989303-6 | ND |
| 2018-01-02 | L6989303-7 | ND |
| 2018-02-06 | L6997868-6 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2018-02-06 | L6997868-7 | ND |
| 2018-03-06 | L7004914-6 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2018-03-06 | L7004914-7 | 0.570 ppm |
| 2018-04-03 | L7013572-6 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2018-04-03 | L7013572-7 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2018-05-01 | L7021594-6 | 0.910 ppm |
| 2018-05-01 | L7021594-7 | 0.610 ppm |
| 2018-07-05 | L7046626-6 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2018-07-05 | L7046626-7 | ND |
| 2018-08-07 | L7059553-6 | 0.910 ppm |
| 2018-08-07 | L7059553-7 | ND |
| 2018-09-04 | S831308 | 0.305 ppm |
| 2018-09-04 | S831309 | 0.933 ppm |
| 2018-10-01 | S831310 | 0.724 ppm |
| 2018-10-01 | S831311 | 0.308 ppm |
| 2018-11-06 | S831312 | 0.330 ppm |
| 2018-11-06 | S831313 | 0.781 ppm |
| 2018-12-03 | S850904 | 0.278 ppm |
| 2018-12-03 | S850905 | 0.959 ppm |
| 2018-12-04 | S851984 | 0.833 ppm |
| 2018-12-04 | S851985 | 0.284 ppm |
| 2019-01-02 | S852006 | 0.764 ppm |
| 2019-01-02 | S852007 | 0.296 ppm |
| 2019-02-05 | S852028 | 0.837 ppm |
| 2019-02-05 | S852029 | 0.265 ppm |
| 2019-03-05 | S852051 | 0.975 ppm |
| 2019-03-05 | S852052 | 0.293 ppm |
| 2019-04-02 | S852073 | 0.841 ppm |
| 2019-04-02 | S852074 | 0.292 ppm |
| 2019-05-07 | S852095 | 0.812 ppm |
| 2019-05-07 | S852096 | 0.316 ppm |
| 2019-06-04 | S852117 | 0.764 ppm |
| 2019-06-04 | S852118 | 0.269 ppm |
| 2019-07-02 | S891109 | 0.656 ppm |
| 2019-07-02 | S891110 | 0.712 ppm |
| 2019-08-06 | S891002 | 0.675 ppm |
| 2019-08-06 | S891003 | 0.301 ppm |
| 2019-09-03 | S891024 | 0.745 ppm |
| 2019-09-03 | S891025 | 0.283 ppm |
| 2019-10-01 | S891046 | 0.718 ppm |
| 2019-10-01 | S891047 | 0.299 ppm |
| 2019-10-10 | S920204 | 0.303 ppm |
| 2019-10-10 | S920205 | 0.675 ppm |
| 2019-11-06 | S891070 | 0.629 ppm |
| 2019-11-06 | S891071 | 0.301 ppm |
| 2019-12-03 | S891098 | 0.830 ppm |
| 2019-12-03 | S891099 | 0.275 ppm |