Fluoride facilities at the Wainuiomata Water Treatment Plant were temporarily turned off this week. Photo / File
Fluoride facilities at the Wainuiomata Water Treatment Plant were temporarily turned off this week. Photo / File
Residents in two Lower Hutt suburbs, where successful lobbying has kept water un-fluoridated, will now have the substance added to their supply ... for seven days.
Wellington Water tweeted on Tuesday morning that fluoride facilities at the Wainuiomata treatment plant had been temporarily turned off.
This was to allow for an urgent water main repair and "to keep Petone and Korokoro's water supply un-fluoridated".
Wainuiomata residents were told to follow health guidelines.
The incident, although a separate issue, comes after Wellington Water turned off two other ageing and unreliable treatment plants last year without telling anyone. A subsequent independent review recommended the company has a "relentless focus" on fluoridation going forward.
Petone and Korokoro are supplied water from the Rahui Reservoir and are the only areas within Porirua, Wellington, Lower and Upper Hutt cities which receive un-fluoridated water.
This has been a long-standing arrangement since a public survey was undertaken in 2000 showing a "strong preference" for water to remain un-fluoridated. A 2014 Stuff article reported Petone residents would go as far as "riot on the street" if fluoride was added to tap water.
On Tuesday, the plan was to fix the leaking water main these residents rely on within 24 hours.
Fluoridation at Wainuiomata was turned off so the Rahui Reservoir could still be topped up with un-fluoridated water, while the usual main was out of action.
However, Wellington Water said in a statement last night the work to fix it was now going to take longer.
"It has become apparent that the remedial work is more complex than anticipated and as a result, it will be at least a week before the repairs can be completed."
Both the Ministry of Health and Hutt City Council were consulted due to the extended period of the outage, Wellington Water said.
It was decided it was in the best interests of public health to resume fluoridation to the wider community- effective from last night.
Petone and Korokoro residents will therefore also have low levels of fluoridated water until the repair work was finished.
Director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Hutt City Council chief executive Jo Miller said turning off fluoridation for 24 hours would not impact the public health of communities.
But when she was told yesterday it would be a week not a day, Miller said the priority was the provision of fluoridated water.
Residents who did not want to drink fluoridated water were able to access an un-fluoridated source from the Buick St, Dowse or Waiwhetu artesian taps, Miller said.
"I would imagine that most people will be grateful they can get clean safe water out of their taps and if they really have a strong view, they will be able to use the artesian taps."
Miller indicated Petone and Korokoro water supply would soon be fluoridated anyway.
Coincidentally, director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield today said he had written to 14 authorities instructing them to fluoridate their water under the Health Act.
It is the first time this power has been used since the relevant legislation was amended last year to ensure a national approach to fluoridating water.
Miller said Bloomfield wrote to her in June saying Hutt City Council would not be in this first tranche authorities, but would be considered later.
She expected a decision on whether to issue a direction to fluoridate all of Hutt City Council's drinking water supplies would be made by the end of 2022.
"The Ministry of Health is giving a very clear indication that they expect all water supplies to be fluoridated. That's the direction of travel - to prevent tooth decay and improve the oral health of everybody."
