Churchill votes to stop fluoridating its water

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This article was published 19/10/2011 (2589 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

AN anti-fluoridation lobby group is claiming victory following a vote in Churchill Tuesday night on the question of treating the town's water supply.

Mark Brackley, spokesman for Churchill No Fluoride, said residents voted 58 per cent against continued fluoridation.

"We've been plugging away in the community for three years," Brackley said. "People were passionate on both sides, but people educated themselves and it showed in the vote."

The plebiscite is not binding but Brackley said he expects Churchill town councillors to follow the will of the majority and move to stop fluoridating the water supply.

In the plebiscite, voters were asked: Should Churchill continue fluoridating its water?

Brackley said there was a 28 per cent voter turnout — 159 people cast a ballot out of a possible 568 voters. The turnout is considered high for a plebiscite in a non-election year, he said.

Town officials could not be reached for comment.

There is a growing trend across Canada to stop fluoridating water supplies, based on the controversial belief fluoridation has no real proven benefits and is harmful to health. Flin Flon stopped adding fluoride to its water at the end of July and Calgary stopped in May.

Before the Churchill vote, a spokeswoman for Manitoba Health said it supported continued fluoridation as an effective way to combat tooth decay.

Brackley said in an earlier interview that the fluoride used in water treatment is derived from fertilizer processing and he called it "a toxic waste product." He said there is no scientific evidence to support claims it prevents cavities and said recent studies have identified fluoride as facilitating the absorption of lead in children.

However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States said past and current reviews of scientific studies found no basis to claims fluoride poses a health hazard. The CDC describes fluoridation as one of the "10 great public-health achievements," but it does advise that children's exposure from birth to age six be restricted.

Winnipeg has been fluoridating its water since 1956. The city recently lowered the fluoride content to 0.7 milligrams per litre from 0.85 mg/L, based on recommendations from Health Canada and Manitoba Health.

Brackley said he will attend the next meeting to pressure council to follow the plebiscite outcome.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca