New Process will also Affect Coronado, Del Mar and Imperial Beach
SAN DIEGO The City of San Diego is scheduled to begin fluoridating drinking water beginning February1, 2011. Eventually, all residents in the City of San Diego, as well as residents of the cities of Coronado,Del Mar and Imperial Beach will receive fluoridated water.
San Diego will supplement naturally-occurring fluoride and imported fluoridated water in our drinkingwater to meet the standards established by the California Department of Public Health. San Diego willphase in fluoride over the period of a month.
Fluoride will begin at the Miramar Water Treatment Plant on Feb. 1, 2011. Miramar, located in ScrippsRanch, serves northern parts of the City. Fluoride implementation will occur the following week, Feb. 8,2011, at the Alvarado Water Treatment Plant at Lake Murray which serves the central parts of the City.Fluoride implementation at the Otay Water Treatment Plant, which serves southern areas of the City, istentatively scheduled to occur the following week. That date is dependent upon the installation ofsafety equipment.
California state law requires water agencies with more than 10,000 water service connections (whichincludes the City of San Diego) fluoridate their drinking water supplies. However, a public water systemis exempt from fluoridating until sufficient outside funding is available. Both the California AttorneyGeneral and the San Diego City Attorney’s Office opined that when sufficient funding became available,San Diego Municipal Code Section 67.0101, which prohibits the City from fluoridation, would bepreempted by state law.
San Diego had been scheduled to begin water fluoridation on Dec. 22, 2010. However, it was delayed soCity staff could conduct additional testing of equipment and review employee safety and operationalrequirements before beginning the new water-fluoridation process.
In June 2008, the City Council accepted an offer of funding from the First 5 Commission of San DiegoCounty for the purpose of fluoridating the City’s public water supply. The Commission’s offer of up to$3,927,016 is for full funding of the capital costs and up to two years of operating and maintenanceexpenses necessary to implement fluoridation at each of the City’s three water treatment plants.For more information, visit the City of San Diego’s web page on “Water Fluoridation” at http://www.sandiego.gov/water/quality/fluoridation.shtml or call the City’s Public Utilities Department at 619-515-3500. Customers who have health questions should consult with their medical or dentalpractitioner.
