Hillsborough commissioners split after hours of public comment on water fluoridation; motion to stop fluoridation fails

Commissioner Joshua Wostel moved on Feb. 5 that Hillsborough County end the process of adding fluoride to county drinking water, citing a recent federal ruling that he said found fluoridation at 0.7 milligrams per liter "poses an unreasonable risk of reduced IQ in children." The motion, seconded by Commissioners Christine Miller and Donna Cameron Cepeda, split the seven-member board; it failed on a 3-3 vote with Commissioners Chris Bowles, Harry Cohen and Ken Hagan voting no and Commissioner Gwen Myers absent.

The motion followed an extended public-comment period in which more than a dozen speakers urged the board either to stop fluoridation or to retain it. Supporters of removal cited a September federal court ruling in Food & Water Watch v. EPA, guidance from Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, and a National Toxicology Program report they said raised concerns about neurodevelopmental effects. Opponents — including local pediatric dentists who spoke at the meeting — warned that removing fluoride from water could reverse decades of dental-health gains, particularly for lower-income children.

Why this matters: The county adds fluoride to its water supply at a target level of 0.7 mg/L, a level set federally in recent years to balance topical fluoride availability with reduced risk of fluorosis. The issue intersects public-health policy, legal developments and community equity because children, pregnant women and residents who cannot easily access dental care are the populations most frequently mentioned by speakers on both sides.

Public comment and experts Debbie Potts, a former Hillsborough County teacher, told…