Baltimore Reduces Fluoride Levels Due to Supply Shortage

Fluoride levels in Baltimore’s drinking water will be temporarily reduced due to a nationwide supply shortage, according to the city’s Department of Public Works.

The change affects customers served by Baltimore’s water system, including parts of both Baltimore and Howard counties.

DPW officials said fluoride levels will decrease from 0.7 milligrams per liter to 0.4 milligrams per liter at the city’s Ashburton and Montebello filtration plants.

Fluoride, a naturally occurring mineral, is commonly added to public water systems to help prevent tooth decay and strengthen enamel. While widely used as a public health measure, it is not required under federal or state regulations.

City officials emphasized that the adjustment will not impact the safety or overall quality of drinking water. There is no mandated minimum level for fluoride, and DPW says the reduced levels remain within safe standards.

Public health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, continue to support water fluoridation as an effective way to improve dental health.

Recent debates around fluoride have gained traction nationwide, with some states moving to ban its use in public water systems. Utah and Florida are among those that have taken steps in that direction, amid growing skepticism from some federal officials, including Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

According to DPW, the current shortage of hydrofluorosilicic acid, the chemical used in water fluoridation, is being driven by a combination of reduced domestic production, limited international supply, and ongoing global conflicts, including the war in Iran.

Baltimore To Reduce Fluoride in Drinking Water Amid Supply Shortage was originally published on 92q.com