Frequently Asked Questions

Answers obtained from Hastings City Council via Local Government Official Information Act.

Hastings District Council (HDC) was directed to fluoridate the Hastings Urban Water Supply (Hastings, Havelock North, Flaxmere, Bridge Pa and Pakipaki).

Fluoride is added at approximately 0.70 parts per million, with the direction from the Ministry of Health setting a target concentration of fluoride in treated water to be in the range 0.7 – 1.0 parts per million of drinking water.

Water is tested on an ongoing basis using both online monitoring as well as manual sampling on a weekly basis.

Manual sampling is undertaken by HDC’s contracted laboratory. Operational monitoring is undertaken by HDC Water operations staff.

Treated effluent from the East Clive WWTP (Te Whare o Whiro) is discharged 2.75km out to sea.

HDC does not discharge concentrated fluoridation chemicals nor is wastewater created in the drinking water fluoridation process so a consent is not held for that activity. Wastewater created by customers connected to this water supply is discharged at East Clive WWTP for which HDC holds a discharge consent, or via private on-site septic tanks/ wastewater treatment systems.

The East Clive WWTP receives water from domestic and industrial customers with the HBRC specifying the consent conditions and testing requirements for the discharges from WWTP to the environment.

It is estimated that operational and maintenance costs related to fluoridation including the supply of HFA, once all sites are fully commissioned will be in the order of $100,000
per annum.

It is estimated that 55 tonnes of HFA will be added to the water supply per annum to provide community drinking water fluoridation.

Protest at Hastings District Council 18 April 2024

MoH Update on directions for community water fluoridation  17 November 2023 – advising councils to ignore High Court Ruling that directives were unlawful.

MoH Directive to Hastings District Council 27 July 2022 – ordering council to start fluoridation of Hastings Urban areas by 30 July 2023.