Frequently Asked Questions

Answers obtained from Wellington Water via Local Government Official Information Act. Wellington Water provides the water services for the Wellington city. Porirua, Upper Hutt and Hutt City.

All of urban Wellington, Hutt City, Upper Hutt and Porirua city are fluoridated, except for Petone and Korokoro.

Sodium silicofluoride (Na2SiF6) is used at the Te Marua and Wainuiomata water treatment plants. A combination of Sodium silicofluoride and Hydrofluorosilicic acid is used at Waterloo water treatment plant.

Target level is 0.7 – 0.9 g/m3. Safeguards ensure that fluoride concentration in the water supply never exceeds 1.5 g/m3 (ppm).

Testing is continuous, monthly averages are reported on Wellington Water’s website.

Eurofins, which is an independent IANZ-accredited laboratory undertakes testing at certain points of the reticulation network. 

Wellington has 4 main wastewater treatment plants.

Moa Point – to a coastal marine area off Lyall Bay via submarine outfall.

Seaview – to the Waiwhetu Stream

Western – into Cook Strait near the Karori Stream mouth

Porirua – discharge at Ruketane Point.

No. Under the permitted activity rules of the Natural Resources Plan, the dosing of fluoridated drinking water is allowed at a certain dose (<1.5mg/L).

 

Approximately $201,000 over all of Wellington, Hutt, Upper Hutt and Porirua.

Implementation is not calculated on an annual basis. It is not possible to separate out (eg) electrical costs for fluoride pumping from the annual overall electricity cost for the entire water treatment plant.

$17,440 excl GST for lab testing for 2023. Laboratory testing is complemented by having a number of analysers throughout the network continuously monitoring the fluoride levels in the whole of the Wellington region.

$500/tonne for Hydrofluorosilicic acid

Fluoridation started in Lower Hutt 1957 and the rest of the Wellington area (urban Wellington, Porirua and Upper Hutt) in 1965. The only consultation ever carried out in the whole area was in Petone in 1999 which resulted in 70% of those polled (30% of households) saying they did not want fluoridation. 

Previous Campaigns

June 21, 2012

According to a small article on page 22 of the Upper Hutt Leader, councillors this year decided to agree with Regional Public Health’s endorsement of fluoridation.

June 15, 2011

Front page article in Upper Hutt Leader covering Upper Hutt City Council’s decision to lobby Greater Wellington Region Council to remove fluoride from the water supply.

Fluoride network pleased – Upper Hutt Leader, June 16 2011

UHCC 2011/2012 Draft Annual Plan Submissions Hearing

The councillors and Mayor were all very polite and showed good interest. Watch this space!

April 6th, 2011

Dr Paul Connett attended workshop at Upper Hutt City Council.

March 30th, 2011

Feature article in Upper Hutt Leader covering Dr Paul Connett’s recent presentation at Orongomai Marae.

Academic trio add substance to fluoride debate – Upper Hutt Leader, March 30 2011

25th March 2011

Presentation by Dr Paul Connett at Orongomai Marae.