Fluoridation ordered in two Far North towns

The director general of health has ordered FNDC to fluoridate drinking water supplied to customers in Kaitāia and Kerikeri by June 2024. Photo/File

The director general of health has ordered Far North District Council to fluoridate drinking water supplied to customers in Kaitāia and Kerikeri within two years.

In a letter to council chief executive Blair King, Dr Ashley Bloomfield advised that under section 116E of the Health Act 1956, he was exercising his "statutory powers" to direct fluoridation of drinking water supplies.

The notice follows a request for information on the district's water supplies from the director general of health that FNDC allegedly responded to in May this year.

In the response, the council estimated it would need a total of $800,000 to bring both water supplies to fluoridation compliance.

It was estimated an additional $100,000 would be required annually to cover management, monitoring and chemical costs.

"Fluoridation of the Kaitāia and Kerikeri drinking water supplies is an important step in improving the oral health of your communities, and it is my intention that Manatū Hauora [the Ministry of Health] will work constructively with you to implement these important changes," Bloomfield said.

"I am satisfied the benefits of introducing community water fluoridation across the Kaitāia and Kerikeri drinking water supplies outweigh the financial costs of doing so."

The order requires both the Kaitāia and Kerikeri water supplies to be fluoridated at levels between 0.7 to 1 parts per million and to be completed by June 30, 2024.

While the Ministry of Health has advised that councils affected by this order could apply for funding for capital projects associated with fluoridation from an $11.3 million fund, it had not confirmed whether it would cover the $800,000 in capital costs and $100,000 in annual operational costs detailed by Far North District Council in its May response.

The council is one of 14 local authorities that have been directed to fluoridate water supplies.

They are: Whangārei District Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Waitaki District Council, Waipa District Council, Tauranga City Council, Tararua District Council, Rotorua Lakes Council, New Plymouth District Council, Nelson City Council, Kawerau District Council, Horowhenua District Council, Hastings District Council, and Auckland Council.

Councillors are due to receive a report on the directive and will have the opportunity to discuss the next steps during a council meeting scheduled for August 11, 2022.