Bags marked “sodium fluoride made in China for industrial use only” contain the fluoride that is allegedly destined to be added to Tenterfield’s water supply soon.
Tenterfield Shire Council general manager Jim Gossage said, “No comment on that because I haven’t looked at it (the bags)”.
However, Mr Gossage said, the NSW Department of Health had approved sodium fluoride to be added to the town’s water supply “because of its benefits to dental health and decay protection”.
“They (NSW Health) wouldn’t do it unless they were aware it was acceptable,” he said.
This has sparked the debate against fluoride again, with Tenterfield residents already saying no to fluoride at three referendums.
Tenterfield Ratepayers Association member Peter Robinson said the majority of members were very concerned and frustrated that they have not been told when the fluoride would be added to the town’s water supply.
“Why do they put industrial use only so clearly on the bags? How can they just ignore it and tip it into our water supply?” he asked.
Tenterfield Shire Councillor Phil Yates was concerned what the other two per cent of the mix was, since the bags clearly stated 98 per cent sodium fluoride.
“The people of Tenterfield need to know what the council and the previous State Government want to put in their water supply,” Cr Yates said.
A NSW Health spokesperson said, in the past four years, more than 20 NSW shires have decided to fluoridate their water supplies, which means that about 95 per cent of the NSW population now have access to fluoridated water supplies.
“Fluoride has been added to most water supplies in NSW, commencing with Yass in 1956 so, in NSW alone, there are more than 50 years of experience proving the effectiveness and safety of water fluoridation,” the spokesperson said.
“The quality of water supplied to these communities meets the requirements of the National Health and Medical Research Council’s Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
“There is an extensive testing program in place to monitor the quality of community drinking water supplies. The chemical qualities of public water supply systems in NSW, which receive fluoridation, are monitored on a monthly basis. This includes tests for lead, arsenic and cadmium,” the spokesperson said.
However, the Southern Free Times’ question on when the fluoride will be added to Tenterfield’s water supply was unanswered.
Story: Rebecca Brown
