Alderman presses safety concerns about hydrofluorosilicic acid; staff says EPA, not FDA, regulates municipal water

During debate on the proposed ordinance change, an Alderman voiced strong concerns about the chemical currently used to fluoridate the city's water supply, saying it contained contaminants and urging the committee to require a pharmaceutical-grade or "FDA-approved" product.

"The hydrofluoricellic acid we're adding contains other things that really bothers me, like the arsenic, the mercury, the lead, cadmium, radionuclide that they've found in these," the Alderman said, listing contaminants that prompted calls for further review. Committee members asked whether the wastewater/water treatment plant and suppliers had reviewed product options.

A water official responded that the product the supplier provides is NSF-certified and ANSI-certified and that suppliers typically provide hydrofluorosilicic acid. "They don't use anything else," the official said, and offered to research other standards or certifications if the committee preferred alternatives. Administrator Windy clarified that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not regulate municipal drinking water and that the Environmental Protection Agency is the federal regulator for public drinking water systems; therefore an ordinance requiring "FDA-approved" fluoride would not align with federal jurisdiction.

The committee did not change the ordinance to specify a particular fluoride compound. Instead, members asked staff to gather vendor certifications and alternative product information and to refer product-selection decisions to the Board of Public Works, which staff said could consider operational and procurement issues.