Leaking Fluoride Tank Forcing a Temporary Pause on Water Fluoridation

Arvadans, brush your teeth extra good. At least until summer.

On Monday, the city announced that it will not be able to add supplemental fluoride to its municipal water supply because a tank storing liquid fluoride at its Ralston Water Treatment Plant is leaking and efforts to fix the tank have been unsuccessful.

The city said a leaking storage tank creates an unsafe environment for workers at the plant.

The fluoridation program is expected to be on hold until approximately mid-2020, the city said.

Arvada hired an engineering firm to design a new feed system for the fluoride, and the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment is helping in the effort. The city has also notified dental practices within Arvada so that dentists can provide appropriate care during the fluoride outage.

Although there are no state mandates to provide supplemental fluoride in municipal water systems, Arvada voters approved a community fluoridation program in 1967.