Adding fluoride to the water has been in the news recently due to Trump’s winning the presidency and his intention to empower Robert Kennedy, Jr. to work on several health-related issues.
Low doses of fluoride are added to water to strengthen tooth enamel; however, some argue that it can lead to more harm than good. Kennedy is one such person that makes that argument. You can read more about the arguments for and against it here.
Is your water fluoridated? According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Montgomery County does not have fluoride added to the water by any of the county’s 39 water systems (view list).
The other suburban counties around Philadelphia are similar to Montgomery County. Delaware County has five water systems, two of which add fluoride. In Bucks County, it is four out of 72. It is seven out of 72 in Chester County. Philadelphia has a single water system that adds fluoride.
So why isn’t the water in Montgomery County fluoridated? According to a 2001 article by WHYY, the local municipalities that control water systems have decided against it, and private companies like Aqua only do it if requested by the leadership in the municipalities they serve.