Fluoride
Newark 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 0.815 ppm | 26 | 26 | 0.370 ppm - 1.07 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.535 ppm | 26 | 15 | ND - 1.60 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.474 ppm | 27 | 15 | ND - 1.07 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.223 ppm | 26 | 9 | ND - 0.960 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.478 ppm | 26 | 22 | ND - 1.000 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.207 ppm | 23 | 13 | ND - 0.806 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-01-15 | 511126 | 0.500 ppm |
| 2014-01-15 | S511125 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2014-02-04 | S380686 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2014-02-04 | S493660 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2014-03-11 | S380689 | 0.900 ppm |
| 2014-03-11 | S380691 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2014-04-08 | S380685 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2014-04-08 | S380688 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2014-05-20 | S493655 | 1.07 ppm |
| 2014-05-20 | S493656 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2014-06-10 | S493658 | 1.02 ppm |
| 2014-06-10 | S493659 | 0.950 ppm |
| 2014-07-15 | S511119 | 0.870 ppm |
| 2014-07-15 | S511120 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2014-08-19 | S511114 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2014-08-19 | S511115 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2014-09-16 | S511122 | 0.920 ppm |
| 2014-09-16 | S511123 | 0.840 ppm |
| 2014-10-20 | S535550 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2014-10-20 | S535552 | 1.01 ppm |
| 2014-11-24 | S535559 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2014-11-24 | S535562 | 0.930 ppm |
| 2014-12-15 | S535553 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2014-12-15 | S535556 | 0.850 ppm |
| 2014-12-22 | S553968 | 1.04 ppm |
| 2014-12-22 | S553975 | 0.370 ppm |
| 2015-01-20 | S535555 | 0.670 ppm |
| 2015-01-20 | S535558 | 1.01 ppm |
| 2015-02-17 | S591843 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2015-02-17 | S591844 | 0.540 ppm |
| 2015-03-17 | S591890 | ND |
| 2015-03-17 | S591891 | 0.950 ppm |
| 2015-04-21 | S591889 | ND |
| 2015-04-21 | S591892 | 0.610 ppm |
| 2015-05-18 | S591998 | ND |
| 2015-05-18 | S591999 | 1.19 ppm |
| 2015-06-09 | S592042 | ND |
| 2015-06-09 | S592043 | 1.12 ppm |
| 2015-07-21 | S591906 | 1.01 ppm |
| 2015-07-21 | S591907 | ND |
| 2015-08-12 | S511138 | ND |
| 2015-08-12 | S511139 | 0.840 ppm |
| 2015-09-14 | S624782 | ND |
| 2015-09-14 | S624783 | 0.630 ppm |
| 2015-10-19 | S624826 | ND |
| 2015-10-19 | S624827 | 1.12 ppm |
| 2015-11-16 | S624864 | ND |
| 2015-11-16 | S624865 | 1.60 ppm |
| 2015-12-07 | S624901 | ND |
| 2015-12-07 | S624902 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2015-12-30 | S659013 | ND |
| 2015-12-30 | S659014 | 1.16 ppm |
| 2016-01-19 | S642377 | 1.03 ppm |
| 2016-01-19 | S642378 | 1.04 ppm |
| 2016-02-23 | S642419 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2016-02-23 | S642420 | ND |
| 2016-03-14 | S642453 | 0.390 ppm |
| 2016-04-26 | S642510 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2016-04-26 | S642511 | ND |
| 2016-05-23 | S642556 | ND |
| 2016-05-23 | S642557 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2016-06-27 | S642609 | ND |
| 2016-06-27 | S642610 | 0.960 ppm |
| 2016-07-25 | S642665 | ND |
| 2016-07-25 | S642666 | 1.07 ppm |
| 2016-08-29 | S656811 | 0.870 ppm |
| 2016-08-29 | S656812 | ND |
| 2016-09-27 | S715000 | ND |
| 2016-09-27 | S715001 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2016-09-29 | S694854 | 0.840 ppm |
| 2016-10-25 | S715048 | ND |
| 2016-10-25 | S715049 | 1.03 ppm |
| 2016-11-29 | S715090 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2016-11-29 | S715091 | ND |
| 2016-12-12 | S719719 | ND |
| 2016-12-19 | S715126 | ND |
| 2016-12-19 | S715127 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2016-12-28 | S694834 | 1.06 ppm |
| 2016-12-28 | S694835 | ND |
| 2017-01-23 | S729826 | 0.420 ppm |
| 2017-01-23 | S729827 | ND |
| 2017-02-22 | S729868 | ND |
| 2017-02-22 | S729869 | 0.390 ppm |
| 2017-03-23 | S729910 | ND |
| 2017-03-23 | S729911 | ND |
| 2017-04-27 | S730252 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2017-04-27 | S730253 | ND |
| 2017-05-16 | S730294 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2017-05-16 | S730295 | ND |
| 2017-06-14 | S730329 | ND |
| 2017-06-14 | S730330 | 0.960 ppm |
| 2017-07-24 | S730386 | 0.630 ppm |
| 2017-07-24 | S730387 | 0.420 ppm |
| 2017-08-28 | S730430 | ND |
| 2017-08-29 | S730433 | ND |
| 2017-09-26 | S730476 | ND |
| 2017-09-26 | S730477 | ND |
| 2017-10-24 | S730519 | ND |
| 2017-10-24 | S730520 | ND |
| 2017-11-28 | S730564 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2017-11-28 | S730565 | ND |
| 2017-12-18 | S730606 | ND |
| 2017-12-18 | S730607 | ND |
| 2017-12-27 | S782293 | 0.670 ppm |
| 2017-12-27 | S782294 | ND |
| 2018-01-24 | S730648 | ND |
| 2018-01-24 | S730649 | ND |
| 2018-02-26 | S783516 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2018-02-26 | S783517 | ND |
| 2018-03-20 | S783563 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2018-03-20 | S783564 | 0.500 ppm |
| 2018-04-26 | S783606 | 0.579 ppm |
| 2018-04-26 | S783607 | 0.856 ppm |
| 2018-05-23 | S783652 | 0.138 ppm |
| 2018-05-24 | S783661 | 0.970 ppm |
| 2018-06-25 | S783704 | 0.372 ppm |
| 2018-06-25 | S783705 | 0.936 ppm |
| 2018-07-24 | S783738 | 0.153 ppm |
| 2018-07-24 | S783739 | 0.569 ppm |
| 2018-08-23 | S783783 | 0.105 ppm |
| 2018-08-23 | S783784 | 0.665 ppm |
| 2018-09-20 | S789119 | 0.594 ppm |
| 2018-09-20 | S789120 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2018-10-29 | S789160 | 0.689 ppm |
| 2018-10-29 | S789161 | 0.556 ppm |
| 2018-11-27 | S789221 | 0.640 ppm |
| 2018-11-27 | S789222 | 0.314 ppm |
| 2018-12-17 | S854860 | 0.604 ppm |
| 2018-12-17 | S854861 | ND |
| 2018-12-26 | S789263 | 0.607 ppm |
| 2018-12-26 | S789264 | 0.0577 ppm |
| 2019-01-22 | S789305 | ND |
| 2019-01-22 | S789306 | 0.395 ppm |
| 2019-02-21 | S837847 | ND |
| 2019-02-21 | S837848 | 0.390 ppm |
| 2019-03-26 | S837889 | ND |
| 2019-03-26 | S837890 | 0.319 ppm |
| 2019-04-25 | S837933 | 0.364 ppm |
| 2019-04-25 | S837934 | ND |
| 2019-05-23 | S837976 | 0.339 ppm |
| 2019-06-12 | S838018 | 0.319 ppm |
| 2019-07-30 | S838061 | 0.347 ppm |
| 2019-08-27 | S838095 | 0.235 ppm |
| 2019-08-27 | S838096 | ND |
| 2019-09-24 | S838146 | 0.104 ppm |
| 2019-09-24 | S838147 | ND |
| 2019-10-29 | S838188 | 0.370 ppm |
| 2019-10-29 | S838189 | ND |
| 2019-11-08 | S925358 | ND |
| 2019-11-08 | S925359 | 0.806 ppm |
| 2019-11-20 | S838231 | 0.377 ppm |
| 2019-11-20 | S838232 | ND |
| 2019-12-16 | S838265 | 0.405 ppm |
| 2019-12-16 | S838266 | ND |