City of Lucedale ending fluoridation in municipal water system
Lucedale is set to officially end fluoridation in its municipal water system next month. The change takes effect May 15 after years of fluoride levels falling below the city’s stated optimal range.
J.C. Roberts with the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center explains why city leaders say they are making the change now and why dental leaders are concerned.
Lucedale is set to become the last city in George County to discontinue fluoride in its water system.
State water reports show Lucedale’s fluoride levels have stayed below the city’s stated optimal range since at least 2020.
The reports also show the city recorded zero months within that range in 2021 and 2022.
Mayor Al Jones says the Mississippi Department of Health now requires Lucedale to either restore fluoride to optimal levels or formally discontinue fluoridation. “We’re in compliance, we’re doing what we’re supposed to do. Now whether you agree with it or not, we’re meeting the health department’s guidelines.”
Jones says maintaining fluoridation has become too costly and hard on city equipment. “Fluoride is very granular when you put it in, and it wears out the pumps. Over time, our equipment has failed, and it’s very expensive to replace it, and the availability of fluoride, even today, there’s very few suppliers out there.”
He says replacing the equipment would cost about $30,000, while bulk fluoride now costs more than $10,000.
Jones also says city leaders are concerned about the risk of adding too much fluoride to the water system. “That’s a pretty big risk or liability that a lot of water associations don’t want to take. If a water manager makes a mistake and too much fluoride goes into the water, a whole city could suffer in the future.”
But Mississippi Dental Association President Charles Belknap says ending fluoridation could lead to more tooth decay over time. “If we don’t have water fluoridation, we’re going to see a very big increase in dental decay. We already have some shortages of dentists and hygienists in other areas to be able to take care of that.”
Belknap says the impact could be greater for families with limited access to regular dental care. “The most cost-effective method is through water fluoridation. We need to equip water systems with the supplies they need, along with proper staffing, training and equipment, to deliver this safely and keep Mississippians as healthy as possible.”
Jones says he understands the concern but believes residents should be able to choose whether they use fluoride. “We thought it would be better for people to make their own choice, because fluoride is available in many different sources.”
The city plans to notify residents through public notices and inserts in upcoming water bills.
