City council has passed a motion that will allow residents to have their say about whether or not to continue placing fluoride in our water.
At the March 17 regular meeting, council voted unanimously to ask voters in the April 23 byelection their feelings regarding fluoride and if the City should continue the process, which began in 1960.
Mayor Roy Ludwig said the process is not an expensive one at roughly $12,000 a year but it is labour intensive. He added the chemical also poses some health risks for City employees.
"With the byelection we had the opportunity to ask a few questions on the ballot," he said. "Although it's not a huge cost, the equipment is expensive and it is a dangerous chemical."
In a report from water treatment plant manager Kevin Sutter, it was noted the City uses hydrofluorosilcic acid as its fluoride. He said the chemical is an acid and in its concentrated form has many health risks for those handling it.
The report added that fluoride is a naturally occurring substance in both surface and ground water but can be added in the treatment process to prevent tooth decay. Most communities in Saskatchewan have 0.1 to 0.2 mg/L of naturally occurring fluoride in their water sources. To have any benefit for people, the levels have to be adjusted to 0.8 mg/L.
The City of Estevan uses Boundary Dam as its source and water from the reservoir had a higher fluoride level than most sources averaging out at 0.8 mg/L over the last 10 years. However, since 2009 the naturally occurring levels have been 0.2 to 0.3 mg/L due to consecutive runoff years.
The City's standard practice over the past 50 years has been to add fluoride whenever the levels in the raw water dropped below 1.0 mg/L. In 2010, they dropped their level to 0.8 mg/L based on industrial standards and the recommendations of regulators.
With respect to operations at the plant, Sutter's report said the process ties up resources, equipment and funds. He added that the corrosive nature of the chemical also takes a major toll on the equipment as pumps are replaced every five years at a cost of $5,000 each.
Sutter said while preparing the report he spoke with the Ministry of Health and Water Security Agency and neither presented any concerns about non-fluoridation. He added many Saskatchewan communities have abandoned the practice.
"If we quit that we would probably not miss a beat," Ludwig said. "With your toothpaste, if you brush regularly you probably don't need fluoride in your water."
The vote will not be binding but the City will likely use the wishes of residents to shape future practices.
