San Diego’s status of being the most populated city in America without fluoridated water changed on June 10 when the City Council voted to accept $3.9 million in funding from the First 5 Commission of San Diego to add fluoridation equipment to the city’s three water treatment plants.
California Lands Another Fluoridation Victory
On June 10, following more than two hours of testimony from proponents and opponents, the San Diego City Council voted to accept $3.9 million in funding from the First 5 Commission of San Diego to add fluoridation equipment to the city’s three water treatment plants. The unanimous vote accepted the funding and authorized negotiations for initiating community water fluoridation in the largest non-fluoridated city in the U.S. by 2010. This was no easy task considering San Diego is the home of the national anti-fluoridation group, Citizens for Safe Drinking Water.
“We are thrilled that the San Diego City Council unanimously accepted grant funds from First 5 San Diego to construct and operate fluoridation facilities at its three treatment plants,” said Jon R. Roth, executive director of the California Dental Association (CDA) Foundation . “This was a pinnacle step in a long journey to bring the benefits of fluoridation to the largest U.S. city where it had been absent.”
In a related action, First 5 San Diego also selected the CDA Foundation to be the project manager for the implementation of the water fluoridation project for San Diego County. “First 5 San Diego looks forward to working with the CDA Foundation on this project to round out the benefits of community water fluoridation for young children in Southern California,” said Laura Spiegel, Executive Director of First 5 San Diego.
The CDA Foundation has played a pivotal role in successfully facilitating statewide funding for fluoridation. The City of San Diego marks a huge victory in helping California progress toward the U.S. Healthy People 2010 goal of 75 percent of all residents receiving fluoridated water.
It is expected that the development of a contract and construction may take up to two years, resulting in the residents of San Diego enjoying the benefits of fluoridation by 2010. San Diego has been the most populated city in America without fluoridated water.
For more information about fluoridation, visit the Foundation’s Web site cdafoundation.org.
