An independent inquiry has been launched after fluoridation was turned off to parts of the Wellington region last year without residents being told. Photo / 123rf
An independent inquiry has been launched after fluoridation was turned off to parts of the Wellington region last year without residents being told. Photo / 123rf
Fluoride storage tanks being used in Wellington are past their use-by-date and furthermore, the ceiling in one plant is deteriorating to the point the facility cannot be accessed safely.
These storage compliance issues were broadly flagged in Greater Wellington Regional Council's most recent annual report and come on top ofthe fluoride dosage issues the council was only made aware of this week.
Wellington Water has launched an independent inquiry following the revelations Upper Hutt, Porirua and Wellington City have not been supplied with fluoridated water since last year.
Fluoridation was stopped at the Te Marua water treatment plant in May 2021 and in November 2021 at the Gear Island plant.
Wellington Water operates water treatment plants on behalf of Greater Wellington Regional Council and delivers the bulk drinking water supply to Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt, Porirua and Wellington cities.
The council's most recent annual report shows failures to meet fluoride storage compliance requirements in the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act.
The report also said the ceiling structure at Gear Island water treatment plant was in a "poor condition".
In a statement today, Wellington Water further clarified the storage compliance issues related to the positioning of fluoridation tanks. The tanks at Gear Island are also beyond their use-by-date.
"Complicating this, the concrete ceiling has deteriorated and needs to be addressed to allow safe access into the fluoride room – this has delayed Wellington Water addressing the issue."
A regional council spokesperson stressed the issues identified in the annual report related to the safe storage of fluoride and should not be conflated with the treatment of water and under-fluoridation.
There is no mention in the report of the possibility that fluoridation could be switched off, that fluoride has been administered inconsistently, or that the tanks were past their use-by-date
Greater Wellington Regional Council chairman Daran Ponter said the storage issues did not have any immediate implications as far as he was aware for the delivery, or in this case non-delivery, of fluoride.
But he said it contributed to a wider picture of ageing infrastructure.
"There's the issue not just of the fluoridation and the non-compliance of the storage facilities, but also access to one of the facilities being significantly restricted to the extent workers are not actually able to access the area in which fluoridation is currently held.
"Now that the council has been alerted of this through the annual report process, we are working with Wellington Water to ensure they have the capital they require to put a fix in place."
Greater Wellington Regional Council chairman Daran Ponter. Photo / Mark Mitchell
This afternoon Wellington Water regulatory services director Charles Barker said the fluoride facilities at the Gear Island water treatment plant were decommissioned in November 2021 due to structural concerns with the building.
The fluoride dosing equipment at Gear Island was also ageing and no longer met acceptable performance standards, he said.
"A detailed survey of the building is underway, and we are investigating the condition of equipment to understand if we can recommission the facilities. We will have a better understanding of what is required in the next week."
However the other plant where fluoride has been turned off, Te Marua, has faced different issues.
Barker said Te Marua was affected by something called a baffle curtain, which is used to make sure the fluoride powder is mixed with the water supply correctly.
It prevents the powder clumping and gives operators control of the mixing ratio.
"We have crews booked in to assess what's involved in either repairing the current one or replacing it," Barker said.
Fluoridation at the Te Marua water treatment plant was decommissioned in May last year.
Between them, the two plants would usually supply fluoridated water to Upper Hutt, Porirua, Wellington City, Stokes Valley and Manor Park.
The current situation means these areas haven't been receiving fluoridated water since last year without residents being told until now.
An independent inquiry has been launched after Wellington Water initially said fluoridation was turned off last month when it was in fact last year.
The inquiry will look into Wellington Water's management of the plants, how the situation occurred, what the board and management should have known, and whether they were deliberately misled.
The inquiry will be led by Doug Martin of Martin Jenkins and is expected to take eight weeks.
