Gisborne Council Stands Firm On Water Fluoridation
Councillors from Gisborne District Council have confirmed that there are no plans to cease water fluoridation in the area. This was following a vote by Hamilton councillors to stop the fluoridation of drinking water.
Councillors from Gisborne District Council said that water fluoridation in Gisborne will continue in line with recommendations from the New Zealand Government.
Last week,Hamilton councillors voted to put a stop to water fluoridation and the scheme is expected to cease from the end of this month.
The water supplies in Gisborne have been fluoridated since the mid 1960’s. The deputy chief executive of the council, Peter Higgs, said that the council has taken advice from the Ministry of Health and water fluoridation will continue in the area.
Kevin Strongman, water utilities manager, said that the cost of water fluoridation makes up just 7 per cent of the annual budget for water treatment. This equated to around $17,000 last year.
Water fluoridation has also been a topic of debate in Wairoa, where the water system has never been fluoridated. Council chief, Peter Freeman, said that cost is the major barrier, rather than opposition to the idea of water fluoridation.
An anti-fluoride group lobbied in Hamilton and they are now planning to campaign for other councils to stop water fluoridation. Public health experts and dentists support the addition of fluoride to the water system to reduce rates of tooth decay and improve standards of health. However, others believe that water fluoridation is harmful and eliminates freedom of choice.
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