Fluoridation Decision Delayed For Health Review
It has had it detractors and proponents over the years with those opposed calling it everything from a Communist plot, a cancer causing agent and a poison not conducive to health.
While those who support it have said any potential risks do not exist or if there are risks they are easily outweighed by the health benefits to people's teeth.
Whatever your feeling is about it fluoridation was a hot button topic at Wednesday evening's special meeting of Council which dealt exclusively with the 2020 Budget.
The format of budget deliberations has changed this year with no Budget Committee and all budget decisions are so far being handled at special non-televised meetings on Shaw Channel 10 where they can be formally approved, if Council chooses, at a single meeting.
The reason why flouridation was on the agenda was because it is a permit requirement by the Provincial government for the City to operate a waterworks system and the present flouridation system has been failing or not operational since some time in 2017 and needs replacement.
Cost of the new flouridation system is $1,200,980. The proposed new flouride system will inject a liquid and does not use powder as the now non-functioning system at the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant.
The $1.2 million price tag of the proposed new fluoridation system and many communities, including Regina, not fluoridating their water was a common theme in Council’s discussion.
Councillor Scott McMann asked about the numbers of communities using fluoridation as well as commenting, although the new system was discussed by Council in the past, the large cost was not discussed.
“I don’t recall a $1.2 million price tag being bantered around,” Councillor McMann said.
Council was told a large portion of the $1.2 million cost was not just the actual liquid fluoridation system but also the cost of construction at the plant which was Occupational Health and Safety compliant as well as providing a containment system if there happened to be a spill.
“Regina does not fluoridate its water,” city engineer Josh Mickelborough said.
“There is quite a mix across the country (in comunities who fluoridate)…it is split across Canada. About 35 percent of communities do,” Mickelborough stated adding Administration could not comment on the health pros and cons of having a fluoridation system.
“We are not public health officials we would defer to them on that,” Mickelborough said.
An April 16th letter from community health officer Mark Vooght expoused the benefits of fluoridation and how putting the mineral in the drinking water system would benefit all residents no matter their socio-econimic status. The letter stated fluoridation was safe. To read the entire letter click here.
Asked by Councillor Brian Swanson if the City was not fluoridating the water was the City at the present time were they not in violation of their permit Mickelborough replied so long as the City was actively working towards rectifying the deficiency the regulator would allow the City to continue operation.
Councillor Swanson said he had traditionally supported fluoridation but the latest comprehensive study recently circulated to Council pointed to fluoridation being harmful and the price tag of the new system was tough for the City to swallow.
“Since my time on Council I have faced four campaigns against fluoridation and I was always for it,” Councillor Swanson said adding he (and the rest of Council) had just received a comprehensive study on the negative effects of fluoridation and there was no time to properly review it.
The emailed study was not provided to the media, it is not the only documentation which could effect the final Operating and Capital budgets not provided to the media.
Councillor Swanson asked if it was possible to delay the decision on the $1.2 millon fluoridation system as the City had not been fluoridating drinking water for at least a year.
“Is there any structural requirement to do it now but instead of six months from now,” Councillor Swanson asked.
“Not to belabour the point but take the money from the Couteau Street bridge,” he said.
Previously in the meeting discussion had centered around a the priority Couteau Street bridge and the estimated $650,000 to demolish it or up to a million to remediate and upgrade it into a safe pedestrian only crossing.
“Moose Jaw’s population is not growing but our debt is at double digit levels. This is the year Moose Jaw’s spending starts spiralling out of control.”
“The recommendation is to approve this tonight but no recommendation on how to pay for it.”
Councillor Dawn Luhning said she supported installing the fluoridation system.
“I don’t know the actual facts when it comes to fluoridation…in my opinion this is what is important to the citizens of Moose Jaw,” Councillor Luhning said.
“Has the City of Moose Jaw had significant health issues with having fluoride in our water? I don’t think so…to me, in my opinion, these kind of issues should take priority,” she said, adding “I don’t think we can delay it for any period of time…if we delay it it may look like it is not a priority.”
Councillor Heather Eby came out in favour of fluoridation likening opponents as not agreeing with the science.
“There are always two sides of those kinds of things such as anti-vaccination as there is some fear mongering we don’t want to get into,” Councillor Eby said.
“Where the money is going to come from is an issue maybe we can’t keep tacking things on…we hear it from our citizens the supply of water is the number one thing.”
Councillor Swanson said he was “not suggesting to wait years and years” but he would like to have the medical health officer review he new study before making a decision.
He reiterated his point it was difficult to approve a major expenditure with no identified source of funding at a time when the City was adding tens of millions of dollars in borrowing for other priorities.
“It is different if we had money in the bank and we were in the black and flush in our expenditures,” he said.
Councillor Crystal Froese said she had gone on a tour of the water treatment plant and found it interesing Regina does not fluoridate their water and Moose Jaw does saying she had similar concerns Councillor Swanson had.
“I agree with Councillor Swanson I would like to read up on it more,” Councillor Froese said.
Councillor Chris Warren reiterated the concerns that tacking on more capital expenditures to the Capital Budget was unsustainable.
“We have the capacity to spend $40 million successfully,” Councillor Warren said.
He said there was newer credible information in the fluoride debate and he would like to see it reviewed and if possible community feedback on the fluoridation issue.
“There is an opportunity to see if the community wants to move ahead on this or not…I am looking forward to more information,” he said.
In a vote of 6 - 1, with Councillor Luhning the lone voice of opposition, the proposed new flouridation system was tabled for a week to get an opinion from the health region’s medical health officer’s opinion in light of the new research provided to Council on the health impacts of fluoridation.