Fluoride debate back before council

The Rotorua City Council is to discuss adding fluoride to the city's water supply.

The Rotorua District Council will soon discuss whether or not to add fluoride to the city's water supply.

The controversial subject was discussed briefly at an extraordinary meeting of the council's Strategy, Policy and Finance Committee held yesterday to deliberate on submissions made to its draft Annual Plan for the upcoming financial year.

Meeting chairwoman Merepeka Raukawa-Tait said the time would soon come when councillors would formally debate the issue.

"We are all aware of the issue after hearing so much about it through the media.

"I'm sure we will also have some robust debate, but at this stage we will let it lie as a full report is on its way," she said.

The matter was raised while councillors discussed a submission made by Toi Te Ora Public Health Service medical officer of health Jim Miller.

In a wide-ranging submission, Dr Miller asked the council to consider introducing fluoride to all water supplies serving more than 1000 people in the Rotorua District.

"Dental decay is the most prevalent chronic disease in New Zealand and represents a considerable health and economic burden.

"Children living in the Lakes District Health Board region experience higher rates of tooth or dental decay than many other regions of New Zealand.

"Water fluoridation is an effective and safe measure to reduce dental decay. It improves oral health for people of all ages who still have their own teeth and benefits anyone who drinks water from a fluoridated water supply.

"Children and teenagers living in areas with water fluoridation have, on average, 40 per cent less tooth decay than those living in non-fluoridated areas," the submission stated.

Councillor Mike McVicker suggested the only way to get a true reflection of public support for fluoridation would be to hold a referendum. But, most councillors spoken to agreed they would like to hear more information regarding the proposal before making further comment. An informal poll of Rotorua's mayor and councillors revealed it would be an interesting debate with three councillors saying they supported fluoridation, six were against it and four were undecided.

Rotorua has not had fluoride in its water supply except for a six-month period in 1979. Fluoride was added to the water supply between February 21, 1979 and August 31, 1979 by the former Rotorua City Council.

But, after a referendum held by the newly-formed Rotorua District Council in June 1979, it was removed.

The results were 5826 votes for the discontinuation of fluoridation and 1377 against discontinuation.

The issue of fluoridation and a full report on its options will come back to the council's Strategy, Policy and Finance Committee in late July or early August.

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