Halifax Water says it should have told customers about fluoridation interruptions

Halifax Water conceded Friday that it should have told customers about water fluoridation interruptions that have been going on for more than a year at its Pockwock Lake and Lake Major facilities following criticism from the Nova Scotia Dental Association and the province's chief medical officer of health.

"Halifax Water acknowledges that it should have notified customers," the utility said in a news release. "We take feedback very seriously and want to assure customers and the public that they will be made aware of these interruptions moving forward.

"These were operational decisions based on independent equipment issues at both water supply plants that had to be repaired or replaced at each facility."

Fluoride units at Pockwock Lake and Lake Major have been offline since May 2023 and April 2020, respectively. Repairs at Pockwock are to be completed this month and the unit should be online again in the coming weeks.

There is no estimated repair time for Lake Major, but Halifax Water said it "intends to resume the fluoridation process when systems are ready and it is safe to do so."

N.S. health officials support fluoridating water

Halifax Water said it reports all changes in drinking water to Nova Scotia's Environment Department.

Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health, told CBC Radio's Maritime Noon on Thursday that his team was not made aware of the fluoridation interruption at Pockwock Lake and Lake Major until October, when New Glasgow announced it would stop adding fluoride to its water supply.

Strang, along with dental association president Dr. Claire Karst, strongly support the use of fluoride in drinking water. Both said Halifax Water should have communicated the interruption sooner.

Protection from tooth decay

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that can help protect teeth from cavities.

On its website, the provincial Environment Department said fluoridation of drinking water supplies is "a well-accepted measure to protect public health and is strongly supported by scientific evidence."

"It continues to be endorsed by over 90 national and international professional health organizations including Health Canada, the Canadian and American dental associations, the Canadian Medical Association, the World Health Organization and the Food and Drug Administration of the United States," the department said.

Halifax Water working to improve communication

In its news release, Halifax Water said there no regulatory requirement to add fluoride to the drinking water supplies in Nova Scotia. It said traditionally, communities have made the decision whether to add fluoride based on recommendations and input from public health officials.

"Halifax Water is committed to meeting our regulatory commitments to provide safe drinking water," Kenda MacKenzie, the utility's acting general manager, said in the release.

"However, we also understand that we need to improve our communications related to longer-term interruptions of our fluoridation process with our customers, our board of commissioners and the municipality. We will work to address these gaps moving forward,"

Halifax Water said it has added fluoride at some water supply plants since the mid-1950s. It said the decision to add fluoride at Lake Major and Pockwock Lake was most recently revisited 10 years ago. It said at that time, Halifax Water's board of commissioners endorsed fluoridation based on support from the IWK, the Nova Scotia Dental Association, and Dalhousie University's faculty of dentistry.

The water utility noted any future decision on fluoridation would be based on engagement with its board and public health.

"Additionally, any infrastructure improvements that require significant capital costs and operational risks associated with upgrades will undergo a rigorous regulatory review process," Halifax Water said in its news release.