Debate over fluoride in Calgary water returns to city hall

The debate over fluoride in Calgary's water has returned to city hall, with a handful of aldermen wanting to scrap the practice.

At Calgary city council's next meeting on April 6, five aldermen will ask council to remove fluoride from Calgary's drinking water, in part to save money.

Ald. Druh Farrell said that if her colleagues don't accept the health and ethical arguments against fluoride, they should consider the high cost — $600,000 a year to add the substance to the water, plus as much as $5 million in mandatory upgrades to the fluoride systems at the city's water treatment plants.

"Is it effective? Is it safe? And then the third question, is it ethical? Should we be forcing people to accept a substance they don't want in the water supply, which is a necessary substance for life?" she said. "Because this capital cost needs to be spent right away to make this facility safe, then I think it’s important to [remove it] now."

Part of Farrell's notice of motion includes giving Alberta Health $250,000 a year for three years for free fluoride treatments for low-income children.

Six plebiscites held

This isn't the first time Calgary has debated fluoridation.

The city has had six plebiscites on the issue, with voters finally approving fluoridation in 1989. Fluoride was first added to Calgary's water in 1991, but the level was reduced to 0.7 mg/L in 1999. The most recent plebiscite was in 1998, when 55 per cent of Calgary voters chose to keep fluoride in the drinking water.

Ald. Joe Ceci has advocated the inclusion of fluoride in city drinking water in the past, but said he will be open-minded this time.

"[I'll be] trying to roll with improved information and the times, and I'll look at all the information before I make my decision," he said.

To stop adding fluoride, the city needs permission from Alberta Environment to change the water purification licence.

Fluoride debated nationally

Last year, a panel of experts recommended Health Canada lower fluoride levels in drinking water to 0.7 mg/L to limit exposure in children and infants, who are particularly vulnerable if they ingest powdered infant formula reconstituted with fluoridated water.

This level, they say, balances the need for dental cavity protection with the risk of dental fluorosis, which leads to staining or pitting of the teeth if too much fluoride is ingested.

While previous studies have raised concerns about the toxic effects of fluoride and made connections between excessive consumption and diseases such as bone cancer, the panel did not find any link between fluoride and cancer, a decrease in IQ or reproductive, immunological or developmental toxicity.

The panel did acknowledge that excess fluoride intake, which constitutes 10 mg/day after 10 or more years of exposure, can lead to skeletal fluorosis, which is caused by too much accumulation of fluoride in the bones and leads to brittle and deformed bones.

The Canadian Dental Association defended fluoridation, saying it benefits all residents in a community, regardless of age, socioeconomic status, education or employment.