Though the past month was filled with local residents spouting protests to Athens’ fluoridation of drinking water, Athens City Council members continually were unable to swallow calls to end the practice.
But Athens Law Director Pat Lang told a packed Council chambers Monday night the city cannot stop fluoride from being added to the city’s water.
“We may like it, we may not like it,” Lang said. “But I can say without equivocation that we have to do it.”
Though many have referenced Yellow Springs, a village in Greene County that ended fluoridation, Lang said their reversal was possible only because of their small size.
“It has been pointed out that other cities in America have overturned their fluoridation,” Lang said. “They are not subjected to Ohio state law. I don’t know what Florida law is, but it doesn’t matter here.”
That law states that all public water systems serving over 5,000 people must regulate the fluoride levels in the drinking water, according to the Ohio Revised Code.
Despite the decisive response to calls for an end of practice, Athens citizens continued to debate it at Monday’s meeting.
"I don’t see how unelected bureaucrats at the EPA can tell a city that they have to have something that they don’t want,” said Abe Alassaf, an Ohio University senior. “The EPA only has power if we give them power. What are they going to do, fine the city? Jail the whole city council if they don’t pay the fines?”
Alassaf commended council’s recent condemnation of hydraulic fracturing. He wants them to treat the fluoridation issue with the same fervor.He even suggested taking the case to the Ohio Supreme Court.
Dane Waller, an OU student, said the history of the Athens’ fluoridation is as concerning as the practice itself.
“Adding fluoride to the water system is a very serious concern of mine,” Waller said. “It was voted down three times in the sixties and seventies, then in the late nineties it was passed in a lame duck session with no input from citizens … Now with fluoridation you say there’s nothing we can do? How is that democracy?”
Athens Mayor Paul Wiehl is also worried about the backlash from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency if they stopped adding fluoride.
“If we stop (fluoridation), anyone could take a sample of the water and tell the EPA,” Wiehl said. “If that happened they would fine us and take us to court and we would have to spend a lot on court costs and may or may not win. We have to be selective in how we use our resources.”
Erin Strouse, spokeswoman for the Ohio EPA, said there has been a proposed change of water fluoridation levels.
A lowering of the current range of 0.8-1.3 parts per million to a limit of 0.7 parts per million has been proposed in order to protect the health of children, she said.
“Health and Human Services is proposing the change because there are health risks to kids who ingest too much fluoride,” Strouse said.
The Ohio Department of Health proposed the new 0.7-ppm level to ensure children receive adequate protection against tooth decay and not subjected to excessive fluoride.
Strouse also said despite recent complaints that have been brought to the Ohio EPA, there is no exemption provided for anyone who wants to rid his or her town of fluoride. Once a city began fluoridation, it cannot cease the practice.
Dina Lopez, an OU geochemistry professor, agreed that fluoridation could become detrimental to one’s health at certain levels. She said that taking in too much fluoride could hurt people more than it helps.
“Many different chemicals are good for in the body, but in excess they can be toxic,” Lopez said. “In excess, fluoride can affect the brain and cause deterioration of one’s teeth.”
Aside from health concerns, Alassaf also expressed distaste with the cost of fluoridation.
Athens spends $20,000 per year on the water additive, said Crystal Kynard, Athens Water Treatment manufacturing executive.
A disgruntled Athens resident, Dane McCarthy, agreed council should fight against fluoridation not only for health reasons, but also out of principal.
“When you give government unlimited power, why should they stop?” he said. “It’s about education, not about changing the law.”
o312410@ohiou.edu
