Madison water board's move to stop fluoridation draws sharply divided public comments

Madison — Madison Utilities' water board voted to discontinue adding fluoride to the city's public drinking water, a decision that prompted a lengthy public hearing in which residents, health professionals and scientists offered sharply divided testimony.

The debate centered on three issues: health risks and benefits of ingesting fluoride, the cost and corrosion impacts of fluoridation equipment, and legal and ethical questions about adding a substance to a public water supply. Supporters of continuing fluoridation warned that removing the additive would raise tooth decay, especially among children with limited access to dental care. Opponents cited recent scientific reviews and a federal court ruling as reasons to remove fluoride and said the city should prioritize choice and worker safety.

At the hearing, pediatric dentist Mark Masterson, who said he has practiced in Madison for more than 20 years, urged the water board not to remove the additive because children would be most affected. "If there is one group that this decision will impact the most, it will be the children of our community, I assure you," Masterson said. He and other dental professionals told the board that community-level fluoridation prevents cavities that…