What is the Portland Water District's position on fluoride?

Maine law mandates that a public water system must add fluoride to the water if a majority of customers votes to do so. The customers of the Portland Water District voted to have their water fluoridated in 1996 and, as required, the District began fluoridating soon thereafter. The method we use to add fluoride, the fluoride-containing chemical we use, and the means of monitoring the level of fluoride all meet drinking water industry standards and were approved by the Maine Drinking Water Program prior to being put into use. The fluoride-containing chemical we use, hydrofluorosilicic acid, is approved for use in drinking water by the National Sanitation Foundation. The level of fluoride in our water is monitored continuously and also tested again via certified laboratory method weekly. The target level of fluoride for dental benefit is 0.7 milligrams per liter (mg/l) in drinking water in Maine. 

Absent a public policy change, only another vote of our customers, expressing their wish to no longer have fluoride added to their water, would authorize us to discontinue our current practice.