The Whanganui District Health Board wants to put fluoride in the city's water supply.
At a board meeting yesterday, chief executive Memo Musa confirmed the committee had agreed in principle to advocate adding fluoride to Wanganui's reticulated water, even though a steering group has yet to consider the pros and cons
of this contentious issue.
The committee agreed that the steering group would report back by December on its awareness-raising programme. Maori, children, adolescents (13-17 year olds), older people and low socio-economic groups were identified in an oral health action plan to be in the five priority groups with poor oral health.
The Wanganui District Council works and transport committee has called a meeting on June 15 to hear the arguments for and against fluoridation of Wanganui water.
Osteopath Nigel Brooke, whose letter to the Health Minister was printed in yesterday's Chronicle, said he would speak against fluoridation in the city's supply.
Mr Brooke said the council was bound by the Local Government Act to supply safe water.
The council is was taking a neutral stance until it has heard the arguments.
If the council agrees to the health board's request for flouridation, it would become the conduit for dispensing medication through the city's water supply.
The health board would bring people from the Ministry of Health to speak for fluoride.
Oliver Marks was on Wanganui's anti-fluoridation committee in the 70s, which, although the numbers have dwindled over the years, would regroup to fight the "undemocratic move to put fluoride in our water."
"We have seen a lot of evidence against fluoride and its harm to people."
Rotorua turned it down and Whangarei voted against fluoride in the water in a referendum held two years ago, he said.
"It's also wasteful because water is used for a lot of other purposes."
Mr Marks said the city of Basel in Switzerland stopped adding fluoride to its water after 10 years because they found it was ineffective.
"In most European countries it is illegal to put fluoride in the water supply."
