Manatee leaders set to debate removing fluoride from drinking water. What to know

Manatee County leaders are set to debate whether the county should end its decades-long practice of adding fluoride to drinking water this week.

An ordinance that is up for a vote at a board meeting on Tuesday would bring the program, which started in the 90s, to an end.

Manatee County joins a host of other communities around Florida and the country that are reconsidering the practice following a national controversy over its safety.

But Manatee County’s situation has an extra twist. Staff revealed earlier this year that the county’s fluoridation system has been broken since 2021. They estimate it would take one to three years to get the system back online at a cost of $1.5 to $2 million.

Here’s what to know.

Fluoride safety debate comes to Manatee County

After a recent government report connected high levels of fluoride exposure with IQ loss in children, some officials have argued that water fluoridation should be stopped altogether.

But many medical professionals argue that the report is being misinterpreted. The report only found issues with fluoride at levels more than two times those recommended by federal agencies for U.S. drinking water.

There remains no medical consensus that fluoride is unsafe at the low levels used for water fluoridation.

Proponents say there are decades of evidence showing that water fluoridation is safe and a public health benefit, especially for low-income families who can’t afford dental care.

Opponents argue that fluoride is more accessible than ever via toothpaste and other dental products, reducing the need for public water fluoridation. They also claim that the practice takes away their individual choice over a medical decision, which is a similar argument made by some anti-vaccination advocates and others who oppose public health measures.

Commissioner Amanda Ballard brought the issue up for debate in January amid an anti-fluoride push from several controversial health officials. They include Florida Surgeon General Joseph A. Ladapo and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has drawn criticism for his frequent promotion of conspiracy theories.

“I think there are many other sources people can now choose to get their fluoride, whether dietary fluoride or through their toothpaste,” Ballard previously told the Herald. “I believe in people having the choice.”

Other commissioners have not said how they will vote on the issue, but at a public meeting in January, residents spoke up on both sides of the debate.

Is a statewide fluoride ban coming?

The Florida Legislature is also considering a statewide ban on water fluoridation this session. If passed, it would prevent local governments from making their own decision about the issue.

In recent weeks, officials in the City of Clearwater and Hillsborough County voted to keep fluoridating water, while officials in Seminole and Lee County voted to end the practice. Miami-Dade County officials voted to end water fluoridation in an 8-2 vote, but the decision was vetoed by the county mayor.

At least 22 communities in Florida have voted to stop fluoridating water since November, WUSF recently reported.

Watch Manatee County leaders debate fluoride

The board meeting begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the commission chambers at the Manatee County Administration Building, 1112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.

Commission meetings are streamed live on the county’s website and YouTube channel.

A time has not been set for the fluoride agenda item. Read the full text of the ordinance here.