Central Alabama Water announced Friday that it will no longer treat drinking water with fluoride, citing safety, financial and infrastructure concerns.
“While we acknowledge there are strong opinions about fluoride in drinking water, this decision is based on our operational, safety and financial needs,” CAW CEO Jeffrey Thompson said in a statement. “This change reduces chemical handling risks for our employees, eliminates the use of aging equipment and allows us to focus resources on delivering safe, reliable and exceptionally high-quality drinking water.”
Fluoridation of drinking water involves the handling, storage and metering of a hazardous and highly corrosive industrial-grade chemical. Officials claim ending the addition of fluoride reduces potential chemical exposure for employees and reduces the likelihood of accidental chemical spills…