Water fluoridation has become one of the more polarizing issues to hit Hot Springs Village in recent years, as evidenced by the many letters to the Voice, both for and against.
Arkansas SB359, the bill mandating fluoridation for water systems that serve 5,000 or more people, was signed into law as Act 197 on March 4, 2011. A major factor assisting its passage was the offer of at least $500,000 from Delta Dental Foundation of Arkansas to cover start-up costs for the 32 water systems affected by the bill.
The benefits of fluoridated water systems, as promoted by the American Dental Association and the federal Centers for Disease Control, center on prevention of tooth decay. The CDC hails community water fluoridation, along with vaccinations and infectious disease control, as one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century, and the ADA touts a savings of $38 in dental treatment costs for every $1 invested in fluoridation.
One of the most vociferous anti-fluoride organizations is the Fluoride Action Network, which makes the points that once a system is fluoridated, it is impossible to control how much each person receives (because people drink different amounts of water), that fluoride goes to everyone, regardless of age, health or vulnerability, and that no disease is caused by fluoride deficiency.
In addition to the risk of fluorosis during the critical period of exposure for children (one to four years of age), other health issues have been raised, not least of which concerns the quality of the chemicals themselves – detractors claim that some chemicals purchased from Mexico, China and Japan are waste products of the phosphate fertilizer industry, and are often contaminated with arsenic and lead.
Hot Springs Village public works director Jason Temple had this to say about the source of the chemicals to be used in the Village water system: “To meet the state of Arkansas fluoridation mandate requirement of a minimum 0.7ppm concentration, the HSV POA plans to use hydrofluorosilicic acid produced in the United States.”
According to Temple, the Village will be reimbursed for start-up costs when the system comes on-line sometime in July.
Many Village residents have expressed outrage about the forced fluoridation, but POA board president Keith Keck said, “The HSV POA will comply with Arkansas state law in the operation of our water plant. Also, the HSV POA must comply with the conditions placed upon our community by the state of Arkansas for the water-plant-expansion project and the state’s fluoridation mandate.”
POA board member Frank Leeming said, “Fluoridation has been a successful part of community water systems for 70 years. Like global warming, science is nearly unanimous in its support of fluoridation. And like global warming, some think science is nuts.
“Arkansas was correct in saying communities expanding or installing new water systems must have fluoridation. It brings our state into line with U.S. Public Health Service policy adopted in 1951. The Village owes a debt of thanks to the Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation for paying for our upgrade.”
Those interested in effecting changes at the state level should contact their representatives: Bruce Westerman is the representative for district 22 (email@example.com,321-2276) and Ann Clemmer represents district 29 (firstname.lastname@example.org, 316-0364).