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Palmerston North Fluoridation Information

 

What was the outcome of the 2015 Long Term Plan on the fluoridation issue?

Hearings were held in 2014. Fluoridation was continued. Fluoride Free taps are being installed in the City.

 

What parts of Palmerston North are fluoridated?

All reticulated water supply areas of Palmerston North City, including Aokautere and Linton and Ashhurst are fluoridated.

 

What fluoride chemicals are used to fluoridate Palmerston North’s water supply?

IXOM (formerly Orica) supplies Hydrofluorosilicic Acid H2SiF6 to Council to fluoridate.

 

What level is Palmerston North fluoridated at?

Palmerston North City Council aims to achieve 0.8ppm in all reticulated areas, and it varies between 0.6-0.9ppm in final water to the reticulation.

 

Where is the waste water for Palmerston North discharged?

All waste water from Palmerston North is discharged via PNCC Totara Rd WWTP into the Manawatu River.

 

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

Palmerston North City has a Resource for the discharge of treated wastewater into the Manawatu. This discharge consent covers many different parameters fluoride is not specifically covered.

 

Can you provide the section of the consent that permits?

As mentioned above Fluoride is not specifically covered in the current discharge consent.

 

Is there a Resource Consent held by Palmerston North District Council to add Hydrofluorosilicic Acid to the Palmerston North’s water supplies?

No resource consents are required to add fluoride into the water supply.

 

How much per annum is spent on Hydrofluorosilicic acid?

The PNCC spends approximately $14,000 per annum on purchasing the HFA.

 

How much per annum is spent on implementing water fluoridation?

The PNCC spends approximately $45,000 per annum including the chemical/operation. testing and asset depreciation.

 

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

The PNCC spends $4,500 per annum on testing of fluoride levels in the water supply.

 

How much does it cost per Tonne of Hydrofluorosilicic Acid?

The PNCC currently pays $490/tonne for HFA.

 

How many Tonne of Hydrofluorosilicic Acid is added into Palmerston North’s shared environment?

Annual usage of HFA is approximately 28.6 tonne per annum added to the water supply.

 

How frequent is the levels of fluoride in the water tested?

The PNCC conducts weekly sampling and testing of fluoride levels in the water supply. In addition in line analysers are used for real time measurement of fluoride levels in the water supply with alarms if the set dose is exceeded.

 

Who performs the testing?

The PNCC employs Central Environment Laboratory an IANZ accredited Laboratory to undertake all water supply testing required to meet New Zealand Drinking Water Standards. 

 

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

Fluoridation started in 1962. Tribunal hearings were held as part of the 2014 LTP.

 

 

22nd May 2015 Press release from Palmerston North City Council

Fluoride-free water now available

Palmerston North City Council is now providing a source of fluoride-free water for those residents who want it.

A centrally located tap has been installed which draws off water from the Papaioea Park bore so that water can be collected by residents who prefer not to drink water with fluoride added. The water from this tap is chlorinated.

“We know there are some residents who would like to drink non-fluoridated water and we hope this will give them an option,” Dora Luo, Council’s water asset engineer said. The installation of the tap was adopted in the 2014/15 Annual Plan Dora says.

“At the moment there are one or two issues around access, but we are working on making the whole area more user friendly,” Dora said.

The water will only be available from 6:30am to 9:00pm due to the operational hours of the bore. Water is supplied to this location from other sources in the City on other times.

The tap is installed on the eastern side of the yellow building closest to the Papaioea Park entrance on Featherston Street. It is planned to shift the tap closer to the street frontage as soon as security fencing can be erected. The tap is self-closing to minimise any unnecessary water wastage.

 

Source:  http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1505/S00569/fluoride-free-water-now-available.htm

March 2013 – Stuff article: Mayor Jono Naylor says that fluoridation is an item on the Draft Annual Plan and the council will decide from there whether to “consult, have a referendum, have a Tribunal or just decide”.

October 2013 – $10,000 has been set aside for Beca Consultancy to review fluoridation. Beca employee, Andrew Watson, has been given the task. Mr Watson says he has worked in the area of water services for many years and was in fact working in, and somehow involved with, the Queensland Government’s decision to instigate mandatory fluoridation. Mr Watson has produced a report that will be given to the councillors after the elections.

12th July 2013 – Palmerston North District council have advised people who submitted to the Draft Annual Plan that they have “decided to provide funding for an initial independent assessment for and against fluoridation, including decision making process options that will be available to the Council.”

24th May 2013 Manawatu Standared Mayor wants ministry to review fluoridation stance

16th May 2013 Article in Manawatu Standard commenting on the push to end fluoridation in Palmerston North. Interesting that the DHB director of dental health services says they shouldn’t stop fluoridation until they can figure out how to make everyone brush their teeth twice a day. So, the whole populating has to drink a dental medication so that they can force people who don’t brush their teeth to have fluoride. It is also admitting how fluoride works from the outside of the tooth surface, not from the inside

A campaign is now underway in Palmerston North.  35 – 40 submissions were received on the topic of fluoridation by Council for the 2013 Draft annual plan. All bar two, were asking the council to stop fluoridation. The councillors appear interested in looking at how they can review this issue.

Position Statments by Palmerston North Candidates for the 2010 elections.