Fluoride introduction postponed

Wide Bay Water CEO Peter Scott says fluoridation on the Fraser Coast has been delayed by about two months.

FILE

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• Wide Bay fluoride delays continue

CONTROVERSIAL F-Day, scheduled for December 31, has been postponed.

Fluoride, ordered for most of our region by the State Government, will only start gushing through our taps at the end of February.

“The primary reason for the delay is that we are still waiting on some critical dosing equipment that unfortunately hasn’t arrived as agreed to by the supplier,” Wide Bay Water CEO Peter Scott said.

“On top of this the continuing wet weather has been a complicating factor which has certainly slowed our progress.

“At the end of the day, we are committed to ensuring that the provision of fluoride is carried out professionally and safely. That’s our priority.

“So we’ve had to bite the bullet and advise the State Government of the situation because there’s only one way we’re going to do this, and that’s properly.”

On the Fraser Coast, the type of fluoride used will be fluorosilicic acid, added at a rate to achieve the prescribed concentration of 0.8 milligrams a litre.

It will be added at Teddington Water Treatment Plant to fluoridate Maryborough’s supply, and at the Burgowan and Howard water treatment plants to fluoridate the Hervey Bay supply.

The Water Fluoridation Act 2008 requires fluoride to be added to water supplies supplying potable water to at least 1000 people, so Tiaro will remain fluoride-free.

Meanwhile further south in Redland City, fluoride is causing a major headache.

The Amity Point water treatment plant, which began delivering ongoing fluoride in September, received only 0.6 mg/L of fluoride.

Health regulations require the water to take in between 0.7mg/L and 0.9mg/L.

The error is an improvement however on 2009 results when all five major plants across the south-east water grid failed to hit their marks, under-dosing residents in the first three months of the fluoride roll-out.

For more fluoride information visit www.widebaywater. qld.gov.au/residential/fluoride and http://www.health.qld.gov.au/ fluoride