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Water works staff warns fluoride supply may run out within days
Summary
Utility staff told the Michigan City Water Works Board on July 14 that a shutdown at a domestic fluoride manufacturer has left suppliers prioritizing existing customers; the utility said it had a very limited supply and will notify IDEM and the health department as it pursues alternatives.
Staff for the Michigan City Water Works told the board on July 14 that a key domestic supplier of fluoride has shut down production and the utility's vendor is refusing new sales to nonexisting customers, leaving the system with a very limited inventory.
The staff member briefing the board said the utility currently had "we basically have enough chemical to last us until probably tomorrow," and that the market is tight because industrial demand and tariffs have affected supply lines. The staff member said the utility had tried other suppliers and manufacturers but had not been able to secure product.
The staff member described fluoride as a nonrequired feed for this system: the utility adds phosphate and fluoride proactively to protect pipes and reduce aesthetic complaints, but neither phosphate nor fluoride is required by the Environmental Protection Agency to meet water-quality obligations in this instance. If the utility were to stop feeding fluoride, the staff member said, the utility would notify the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and the local health department and manage treatment processes to remain within regulatory limits.
Changing the chemical feed or switching to an alternative would require different feed equipment and regulatory approval, the staff member said. That step would include permitting with state regulators and, depending on the change, additional public notification. The staff member noted similar supply constraints occurred in 2006–07 during a drought-related production disruption and said the utility ultimately stopped feeding fluoride until supplies stabilized.
Board members asked clarifying questions about substitute chemicals and the timing of notices; the staff member said substitutes would require new equipment and regulatory permission and reiterated that the current supply is limited. The board took no formal action but was informed that staff will notify IDEM and the health department and continue searching for suppliers.
