LEE COUNTY, Fla. — Lee County commissioners are currently evaluating the safety of local drinking water and discussing the potential removal of fluoride.
Watch Fort Myers Community Correspondent Miyoshi Price's report:
This deliberation comes in light of the Florida surgeon general's recent recommendations regarding fluoride’s health benefits.
Community Correspondent Miyoshi Price explored the reasons behind this consideration.
Commissioner Brian Hamman explained, “Lee County Utilities has always put the absolute lowest dose possible in there; it still costs us about $80,000 a year to do it.”
He expressed openness to the idea of removing fluoride, citing the Florida Surgeon General’s assertion that there may not be significant health benefits associated with its use.
“If the surgeon general says there's really not a health benefit to it, then I think it's worth looking at the idea of removing it from the water so that people don't drink it anymore,” said Hamman.
The public’s reaction to the possibility of removing fluoride has been varied.
Hamman noted, “I've heard a lot of people from the public say that they just want to have the choice of what they drink and what they put in their body.”
To gain further insights, Price took the discussion to the streets.
Resident John Wall stated, “I understand reading about it is the presence of fluoride in water is especially good for children in their teeth.” Wall supports maintaining fluoride in the drinking water, emphasizing the importance of public awareness. “Having an informed public is very important too because some members of the public have false attitudes towards fluoride. I think they’ve been conditioned to oppose it through social media,” he added.
In contrast, another resident, who has been living a holistic lifestyle for the past four years, voiced a different perspective.
“I think if people want fluoride, they can use fluoride in their toothpaste, and they can get fluoride in other ways,” she said.
Despite this discourse, the American Dental Association continues to recommend the addition of fluoride to drinking water, underscoring its dental health benefits.
Commissioner Hamman expressed anticipation for further discussions on this critical topic, stating he looks forward to Tuesday's conversation.
