“This is the same board that promised transparency. The same leadership that said they would run this utility the right way. And now they can’t even follow a basic notification statute before removing a public health measure from hundreds of thousands of people’s drinking water,” Woodfin wrote.
Late last week, the city of Birmingham filed a lawsuit against CAWalleging that the CAW failed to provide notice of the change and seeking an emergency court order to resume fluoridation, according to local news WVTM13. The city claimed in its filing that removing fluoride from water threatened the dental health of residents, including low-income residents and children who lack access to dental care.
When contacted by Ars Technica, the city of Birmingham declined to comment on the lawsuit. CAW told reporters it does not comment on pending litigation.
Fluoride Recommendations
The American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend fluoridating community water to prevent cavities, especially in children. In areas where fluoridated water is not available, medical experts recommend prescribing fluoride supplements for children.
Water fluoridation is considered one of the Top 10 achievements in public health. Still, since its introduction to the United States in 1945, unfounded fears and conspiracy theories have circulated around the practice. These concerns have been raised again in recent years by anti-vaccine Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Although he has no background in medicine, public health, or science, Kennedy has challenged the scientific evidence on fluoridation and made strong, unsubstantiated claims that fluoridated water is unsafe. As health secretary, he pledged to eliminate it from American waters. A modeling study by Harvard University researchers last year found that if Kennedy keeps that promise, it would lead to 25 million more decayed teeth in children and adolescents in the first five years.
Health experts have also specifically rejected the idea that fluoridation is no longer necessary due to the availability of toothpaste and mouthwashes containing fluoride. In comments to NBC News, Scott Tomar, head of the department of population oral health at the University of Illinois at Chicago, said: “It is certainly true that toothpaste containing fluoride is effective in preventing cavities, but it is not true that that alone justifies the removal of fluoride from our drinking water.” Tomar said CAW’s move to eliminate fluoride will put residents at risk for more cavities. “It’s probably put younger children at greater risk, because that’s usually where we see it appear first when fluoridation stops,” he said.
