Sinking Our Teeth Into The Marin Water Fluoridation Discussion

Marin County water is being fluoridated with hydrofluorosilicic acid.  This is classified as an industrial grade fluoride compound and is NOT approved by the FDA for human consumption.  However, the MMWD website gives the public the impression that natural fluoride is what is being added to our water.                                  

The MMWD tells us that they must put hydrofluorosilisic acid into our water because we voted it in in 1972 and 1978; and that a state mandate compelling them to fluoridate was passed in 1995.                                   

In fact, the ordinance that passed as a result of the 1972 and 1978 votes states "…an approved fluoride compound…" must be used.  The MMWD tells us that HFA (Hydrofluorosilicic Acid) is approved by the NSF, (the National Sanitation Foundation).  The NSF is not a government agency, is located in Ann Arbor, MI, and does not have the authority to approve a chemical substance to be used for medicating.                     

HFA is being put into our water as a method of providing fluoride treatments to our children.  Thus, it is being put into our water to have a medical effect on our bodies and is being used as a drug (fluoride is listed as a DRUG by the FDA).  The only organization in our country that has the authority to approve a chemical substance being used for a medical purpose is the FDA.  The NSF does not have the authority to do this.  Therefore, the MMWD is NOT using an approved fluoride compound.  They are actually in violation of the Marin county water fluoridation ordinance.                

The MMWD is also NOT bound by the 1995 mandate. The mandate does not give the MMWD the authority to put an unapproved hazardous waste material into our drinking water. 

Furthermore, unless 100% of the total costs of fluoridation are provided for by outside funds, there is no mandate to fluoridate our water supply. The MMWD tells us the money for water fluoridation is coming from real estate owned by the MMWD.  The MMWD is a Marin county citizen owned company.  We the citizens are the rate payers and thus the money is coming from rate payers’ money.  This is not outside funding and thus the mandate is not enforceable.

There is already a law in the State of California under the Health and Safety Code providing for optional free topical fluoride treatments to children in their schools. This method is much safer, more effective and economical than water fluoridation; and doesn't force the entire population to participate in a procedure intended only for children. 

If the MMWD used the money, now being spent on the hydrofluorosilicic acid that is put into our drinking water, to instead fund the Health and Safety Code program that provides for free topical fluoride treatments to children, they would actually SAVE money. This method of providing fluoride treatments is less costly and leaves this medical procedure in the hands of licensed medical practitioners.  Also, the water fluoridation mandate becomes invalid if this Health and Safety Code law is implemented.

Finally, 21 other communities in the state of California have rejected water fluoridation without any negative impact. 

Our community, as a whole, has not been educated about the hazards associated with hydrofluorosilicic acid and this particularly affects low income community members who cannot afford the expensive, water wasting reverse osmosis filters (the only filtration system that eliminates fluoride), or fluoride-free bottled water.  Marin public health clinics advise their clients to avoid giving fluoridated water to babies that are bottle fed as is recommended by the ADA and CDC. Babies are being over-fluoridated, leading to dental fluorosis and more health problems later in life.  Fluoride is NOT a nutrient and no bodily process requires it.  If we are not supposed to give HFA to our babies, why is it being put into our water?  And why is there no warning label on our water bills? 

Water fluoridation is in complete contradiction with "the Precautionary Principle" adopted by many agencies throughout the Bay Area, including the Marin County Board of Supervisors' 2004 Precautionary Principle Resolution.  If a chemical substance is not guaranteed to be 100 % safe and can do harm, it should NOT be used.

A petition at www.SafeWaterMarin.org signed by over 2,200 people, (and counting), demands that the MMWD board members stop medicating us via our drinking water and end water fluoridation in Marin County today.  The MMWD Board of Directors has the authority to do this.  If they continue to ignore their responsibility to Marin County citizens to act as conscientious stewards of our water and land, then our community needs Board Members who will be.

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The California Code of Regulation, Title 22, Section 66261.126, lists 791 chemicals as "Hazardous Waste" 39 of these are fluoride compounds."

384a. Hydrofluosilicic Acid (X,C)

384b. Fluosilicic Acid (X,C)

674. Sodium Fluoride ( X )

X = toxic, C = corrosive

So technically, The MMWD is illegally dumping hazardous waste into a potable water supply & charging the people of Marin to do so.

MMWD Board Members

Jack Gibson -yojcg@msn.com

Armando Quintero -aquintero@marinwater.org

Liza Crosse -lcrosse@marinwater.org

Cynthia Koehler -ckoehler@marinwater.org

Larry Russell -lrussell@marinwater.org

General Manager –Krishna Kumar –kkumar@marinwater.org

General Consul - Mary Casey - mcasey@marinwater.org

MMWD phone number is:415-945-1449