Hamilton City Council has paused fluoridation of drinking water for up to three weeks while it changes stocks of fluoride dosing product and undertakes scheduled maintenance.
Council’s supplier identified a recent delivery of the treatment product had differences in the chemical composition which could lead to increased corrosion in Council’s storage facility.
Council’s Three Waters Unit Director Maire Porter said safe handling and storage of required chemicals is a key part of managing the city’s treatment plants.
“While there was no impact on the safety or quality of drinking water at any time, in its concentrated form the bulk product could react with materials in the storage and handling process. As a precaution, Council is working with the supplier to remove the product and replace it.”
Council is taking this opportunity to undertake planned inspections of the fluoridation system and will complete any maintenance while the system is out of service. It’s expected this will take up to three weeks.
Staff have notified the Water Services Authority (Taumata Arowai) and the Ministry of Health which is the regulator of fluoride dosing of the outage.
Decision-making on fluoridation shifted from local authorities (councils) to the Director-General of Health in the provisions of the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021.
Local authorities are required to fluoridate a water supply if directed to do so by the Director-General of Health.