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March 28, 2024

Lismore push for community poll on fluoride

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Members of the Fluoride Free Northern Rivers group. (Leisa Webb)
Members of the Fluoride Free Northern Rivers group. (Leisa Webb)

A Lismore councillor wants a poll conducted at the next local government election to determine whether a majority of residents support adding fluoride to the water supply.

Greens councillor Vanessa Ekins has lodged a notice of motion calling for the poll, which will be determined at next week’s Tuesday council meeting.

‘Just as CSG has ignited community discussion about clean waterways and local control over activities that may impact our environment and health, so has the addition of fluoride to our water supply,’ Cr Ekins said.

Lismore councillor Vanessa Ekins.
Lismore councillor Vanessa Ekins.

‘Even in the council chamber opinions on fluoridation are divided.

‘Our community has never been adequately consulted on the question of fluoridation and this shows complete disrespect for our own consultation policies.

‘I urge councillors to consider conducting a poll along the same lines as the CSG poll, with the question formulated and advertised in the same manner.’

The Echonetdaily reported recently that Cr Ekins has also lodged a motion that will be considered at the next meeting of Rous Water on 16 September.

Cr Ekins, who is one of two Lismore delegates on Rous Water, wants Rous Water to suspend adding fluoride because the National Health and Medical Research Council was still reviewing fluoride concentration levels.

‘They’re still accepting scientific submissions,’ Cr Ekins said.

‘At the moment Rous is planning on putting one milligram per litre, which was the 1970s standard.

‘World best practise standard now is 0.7 milligrams per litre.

‘When Rous last formally discussed putting fluoride in the water supply, councillors who supported fluoride in the water supply were very keen to see that concentration reduced to 0.7.

‘People are concerned about the high level of concentration.’

Rous Water’s general manager Kyme Lavelle has rejected calls to stop the fluoridation of water, saying the process had taken ten years, involved three court cases and consulation.

“So besides that we’ve had to comply with the requirements of New South Wales Health in terms of the standard of construction, the type of equipment we’ve put in there.

“There has been a testing regime in place which has been witnessed by the Office of Water, and reports provided to the Department of Health which has provided approval to commence the fluoridation.’

Rous Water has constructed fluoride dosing plants in the Clunes, Knockrow, Dorroughby and Corndale areas.

Richmond Valley, Ballina Shire and Lismore City Councils will receive fluoride in their water except, water customers in Nimbin.

NSW Health has also directed Ballina Shire Council to fluoridate the water supplied from the Marom Creek Water Treatment Plant to town water customers in the Wardell area.

Byron Shire’s town water customers will not receive fluoridated water.  Town water customers in the Richmond Valley township of Casino already receive fluoridated water.


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3 COMMENTS

  1. What are the economics of the situation?
    If councils put 0.7 milligrams per litre in the water supply, how much money will be saved by councils when they once put 1 milligram per litre into water.

    • Dollars saved on toxic industrial waste fluoridation chemicals, a 30% reduction.
      Permanent Dental fluorosis over the next hundred years, unknown.
      People denied human rights over the next hundred years, 100% denied or zero reduction.
      Risk of harm over the next hundred years, a small reduction.
      Gastro problems over the next hundred years, unknown.
      Thyroid problems over the next hundred years, untold numbers.
      ADHD over the next hundred years, unknown..
      Kidney problems over the next hundred years, unknown.
      Diabetic risks over the next hundred years, unknown.
      Calcification of arteries over the next hundred years, unknown.
      Environmental damage on down stream discharge over the next hundred years, unknown.
      Etc,etc http://fluoridealert.org/

  2. As a customer, I know that I want a choice of what I purchase and what I put into my mouth, on my skin, on my garden, and how much I would be paying for that product (in more ways than one). What of the customers who already have health conditions who can’t afford to use fluoridated water for medical reasons? I believe the estimated cost of $300 000 per year to pay for the fluoride and ongoing operational costs will be paid for by the residents. I am a customer and I didn’t ask for it, nor have I been given a choice yet. I’d like to have a choice.

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