April 2008

U.S. Water News Online

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Cities and towns in Nebraska with at least 1,000 residents would have to add fluoride to their water, under a bill that senators advanced.

The goal is to reduce tooth decay. Dental bills could decrease, and less money could be spent on tooth care and other dental costs paid by Medicaid, the state's health insurance program for the poor and disabled.

“Fluoride is the single most effective health measure to prevent tooth decay,” said Sen. Joel Johnson of Kearney.

Towns and cities that don't fluoridate their water could vote before June 1, 2010, to opt out of the law if it were to pass. Those places where there is enough naturally occurring fluoride wouldn't have to add any.

Most of Nebraska's population — more than 942,00 people — is served by 65 public water systems that add fluoride to water. Forty-one systems are naturally fluoridated.

But 64 Nebraska communities with more than 1,000 people don't add fluoride or have enough naturally occurring. Those add up to more than 297,000 people, including such cities as North Platte, Grand Island and Norfolk.

Current law requires that cities fluoridate water, but lets them vote to opt out. Those that have opted out in the past would have to vote again to keep from adding fluoride.

Sen. Arnie Stuthman of Platte Center called the bill an unfunded mandate.

It costs between 50 cents and $3 per year, per person, to fluoridate water, depending on the size of the community, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with the higher prices in smaller towns. The CDC also estimates that for every $1 invested in community water fluoridation, $38 is saved in dental treatment.

Medicaid dental programs cost as much as 50 percent less in fluoridated communities, the CDC reported.

Cities that don't fluoridate could have capital costs of about $5,000 per treatment point, which means larger cities such as Hastings could have to pay as much as $100,000 up front to start fluoridating water.