Kapiti Coast

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers obtained from Council via Local Government Official Information Act.

What parts of the region under the council’s jurisdiction are fluoridated?

Waikanae Water Treatment Plant is the only treatment Plant fluoridating. This supplies fluoridated water to Waikanae, Paraparaumu, and Raumati.

What fluoride chemicals are used to fluoridate the water supply?

Sodium silicofluoride.

What level is water fluoridated at?

We top up the natural levels from the river to. 0.8ppm.+ – 0.05.

How frequently is the level of fluoride in the water tested?

We provide a weekly a sample of fluoride to an independent International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ) accredited Laboratory for compliance. Online monitoring is constantly tested by a wet sensor instrument that self-calibrates all Fluoride standards for calibrations and are supplied by an IANZ accredited Laboratory. Spectro analysers is a daily manual test using a IANZ approved DR6000 HACH analyser.

Who performs the testing?

All tests performed at the Waikanae Treatment Plant Lab are tests that are carried out by Water Treatment Specialist. The external tests are completed by a IANZ accredited Laboratory.

Where is the wastewater discharged?

All wastewater from the Waikanae Treatment Plant is sent to the Paraparaumu Wastewater plant via the domestic wastewater reticulation. The treated wastewater discharges from the Paraparaumu wastewater Treatment plant to the Mazengarb stream and then flows to the Waikanae River at Otaihanga.

Is there a Resource consent for the discharge of fluoridation chemicals?

No.

Can you provide the section of the consent that permits the fluoride discharge?

A consent is not required for Council to discharge the fluoride. On this basis, I must decline this part of your request on the basis that the document alleged to contain the information requested does not exist or, despite reasonable efforts to locate it, cannot be found as section 17(e) of the LGOIMA refers.

Is there a Resource Consent held by the council to add fluoridation chemicals to the community water supplies?

No.

How much per annum is spent on fluoridation chemicals?

The cost of one kilo of sodium silica Fluoride is $2.36+GST. The price will differ as the price of the chemicals change and how much water is treated at the plant per annum.

How much per annum is spent on implementing water fluoridation?

The dosing equipment and infrastructure have been in place for many decades, and we have needed minimal maintenance on the system. The cost to replace the entire system includes setting up a purpose made room. Analysers, dosing system and pumps cost $205,500, and the ventilation system costs $53,000 in total. To upgrade our fluoridation system, we will be spending $258500 which should last on the course of 50 years. This equates to approximately $5500 per year over this period.

How much per annum is spent on testing the levels of water fluoridation?

$10,000 per annum including the IANZ accredited LAB.

How much does it cost per Tonne of fluoridation chemicals?

Sodium silicofluoride is at present about $2500/tonne.

How many tonne of fluoridation chemicals are added into the environment?

Kapiti Coast District Council uses approximately 5.2 tonne of fluoride per annum. This does 5,110,000,000 litres of water

When did fluoridation begin and has there been any public consultation since beginning?

Fluoridation started in 1979. There have been a few special consultations where public were invited to provide submissions and speak to the council in 2010 and 2014.

Previous Campaigns

Kapiti Council lowered the fluoride level to 0.7ppm despite opposition from the Ministry of Health. Kapiti Council lowers level

Fluoridation was included as part of the Draft Annual Plan in 2010. One councillor was missing when the vote was held as she had been wrongly advised by the DHB that the decision would be made at that meeting. The Council then voted 5 to 5 which meant status quo. Fluoridation then continued in Waikanae and Paraparaumu. A few weeks later the council were able to vote to lower the fluoride level to 0.7ppm despite opposition from the MoH.

A tribunal was held as part of the 2014 Long Term Plan. All councillors except David Scott and Gurunathan voted to keep fluoridation

I’m fairly sensitive to chemicals and have always avoided diet products, as aspartame affects me noticeably. A few years ago, I decided to try fluoride-free toothpaste. Since then, my health has improved in several ways. I no longer drool at night or wake up with a sore throat. My skin is clearer, and I no longer experience sudden tooth pain.

I’ve generally lived in areas where the water was not fluoridated and relied on rain tank water from 2002 to 2013. These days, I use a water distiller and occasionally drink bottled water. While working in Thames recently, I started getting sore throats after drinking hot chocolate made with boiled tap water—something I hadn’t experienced in years.

My son, who is 100% unvaccinated and was raised on raw milk and tank water, has never had a cavity at age 22. We lived in Paeroa and Cambridge, where I was assured the water was fluoride-free.

I initially tried Red Seal toothpaste, then explored several Indian brands. I currently prefer Rozino and Xiaoks, which I order from Temu.

Pamela, Paeroa

Sore throat from fluoride – even the toothpaste