Aug 13, 2022
Washington – Penn State Votes to Stop Putting Fluoride Into State College’s Water Supply Due to “Possible Adverse Health Effects”
The State College Borough Water Authority on Thursday (August 11) voted to begin the process of removing fluoride from the water supply serving about 75,000 people, despite opposition from a number of local dentists, hygienists, health professionals and residents.
Serving State College Borough and parts of Benner, College, Ferguson, Harris and Patton townships, SCBWA began fluoridating its water as a dental health measure in 1954.
But when fluoride began to become more difficult to get in 2019, the authority’s board formed an ad hoc subcommittee to examine whether the practice should continue.
After being slowed by the pandemic, the committee returned its report in May and recommended 2-1 to cease fluoridation, not because it questioned whether fluoride prevents cavities, but because of peer-reviewed studies that suggest possible adverse health effects, potential environmental contamination caused by wasted fluoride and concern about distributing to customers who have no choice.
Following a discussion in June that saw many proponents of keeping fluoridation, and some who opposed it, the full board voted 6-0 on Thursday to initiate the process to modify SCBWA’s permit with the Department of Environmental Protection so that it can stop injecting fluoride into the water supply.
The board’s seventh member, Bernard Hoffnar, who was in favor of keeping fluoride, resigned in the middle of the roll call vote.
“I think this is an unfortunate situation and I don’t want to be part of a group that in fact is going to hurt the health of the people we’re serving, so I resign,” Hoffnar said.
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