County water officials review fluoride practice; commissioners ask for public response materials

Harnett Regional Water staff updated the Board of Commissioners on the county’s fluoride practices and monitoring and answered commissioners’ questions about safety and regulation.

Tommy Burns (Harnett Regional Water) said the county began adding fluoride to the community water system when Lillington owned the system in the 1950s, and that Harnett County has followed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Environmental Protection Agency guidance setting an optimal fluoride concentration of 0.7 milligrams per liter. Burns said the county tests fluoride monthly and reports results on its annual consumer confidence report.

A water-treatment staff member identified as Sean described the plant’s injection system: a bulk chemical storage tank (about 5,000 gallons), chemical feed pumps and a monitoring/dosage display module that keeps fluoride concentration steady. Sean told the board the North Harnett Water Treatment Plant’s average fluoride concentration is about 0.7 mg/L and has not approached the EPA’s secondary operational guide of 2 mg/L or the primary standard of 4 mg/L, which requires public notice if exceeded.

Commissioners and members of the public asked about recent developments elsewhere, including a November 2024 California court ruling referenced in the briefing and the state of Utah’s recent decision to cease water fluoridation. Burns and Sean said the county continues to operate under state and federal standards and emphasized that fluoride in Harnett County water is administered for dental public health benefit; they also noted fluoride is present in many consumer products such as toothpaste and mouthwash.

Staff told commissioners there are point-of-use devices that remove fluoride for customers who seek that option. No policy change was adopted at the meeting; staff said they would return with materials to help commissioners answer constituent questions.