Fluoride to reach full dose

Hamish Heard
State Government is set to give Geelong’s storages water a full dose of fluoride after the city’s supply is linked to Melbourne’s, according to a community activist.
Geelong Community for Good Life spokesperson Sue McLean said Barwon Water deputy chairman John McDonald told her it was likely fluoride would be pumped into all the region’s supplies.
State Government announced two weeks ago it would spend $80 million on a pipeline connecting Melbourne’s fluoridated water to a reservoir at Lovely Banks supplying Geelong’s northern suburbs.
Mr McDonald last week told a public water forum that Barwon Water was looking at ways to connect the Lovely Banks storage to the rest of Geelong’s supplies to ensure fluoridated water was not restricted to the northern suburbs.
“We haven’t worked out as yet how we are going to do that,” Mr McDonald told the forum.
But Ms McLean said Mr McDonald gave her a different version.
“I asked him (Mr McDonald), hypothetically, that if fluoridation was to occur would additional fluoride be added to sources of potable water that weren’t connected to the water coming from Melbourne,” Ms McLean said.
“He responded that the Department of Human Services was responsible for determining the levels of fluoride in a water supply but that he thought additional fluoride would be added.”
Member for South Barwon Michael Crutchfield told last week’s forum that fluoride levels would be diluted when the two systems were linked.
“It won’t be the same level as in Melbourne and I’d be happier if Geelong was to receive more fluoride,” Mr Crutchfield said.
Barwon Water refused to comment on whether Mr Crutchfield would receive his wish and referred the Independent to the Department of Human Services.
A department spokesperson was evasive when pressed on fluoridation levels destined for Geelong taps.
“So you want to know about something that won’t happen until 2011?” the spokesperson said.
“DHS has not made a decision with regard to what may or may not be happening with the wider water supply in 2011.”
Water Quality Australia spokesperson David McRae said the organisation was aware full fluoridation of Geelong’s water was on the cards.
He said many Geelong residents were “highly chemically sensitive” to fluoride.
Sufferers had moved to Geelong when fluoride was introduced to Melbourne’s supply in 1979.