TLRC position
Support
2025 · Government · Public Health
Limits the fluoridation of public water supplies.
HB 0897 / SB 1141
Bill description
Ban adding fluoride to public water supplies after July 31, 2025, and require monthly testing and customer notice at 0.4 mg/L.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68, Chapter 221, Part 7, relative to fluoridation of drinking water.
Bill sponsors
House co-sponsors · 6
Johnny Garrett R, Jason Zachary R, Jerome Moon R, Elaine Davis R, Michele Reneau R, Monty Fritts R
TLRC statement
This is a legislative proposal in Tennessee aimed at regulating the fluoridation of public drinking water. The bill sets a threshold for naturally occurring fluoride levels, requiring increased monitoring and public notification if concentrations exceed 0.7 milligrams per liter.
The importance of supporting this legislation is underscored by recent legal and scientific developments. In September 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ruled in Food & Water Watch, Inc. v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that the current “optimal” level of fluoride in drinking water presents an unreasonable risk of lowering children’s IQ. The court found substantial evidence linking fluoride exposure to neurodevelopmental harm, particularly in pregnant women and young children.
This ruling highlights the potential health risks associated with water fluoridation, emphasizing the need for precautionary measures. By supporting the bill, Tennessee can proactively protect public health, especially the neurological development of children, by eliminating the addition of fluoride to public water systems and ensuring rigorous monitoring of naturally occurring fluoride levels.