HOULTON — The Houlton Water Company and the Maine Drinking Water Program announce for the third consecutive year the Houlton Water Company has been awarded a Water Fluoridation Quality Award from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Fluoridation is the adjustment of fluoride in drinking water to a level that is effective for preventing tooth decay. The award recognizes those communities that achieved excellence in community water fluoridation by maintaining a consistent level of fluoridated water according to state standards, throughout the entire year of 2012.
Community water fluoridation has been recognized by CDC as one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. Currently, nearly three-quarters (73.9 percent) – or 204 million people – served by community water systems have access to fluoridated tap water. CDC recommends water fluoridation as a safe, effective and inexpensive method of preventing decay.
In fact, every $1 invested in fluoridation saves at least $38 in costs for dental treatment. In Maine, with 65 water systems providing fluoridated water to 132 communities, just about 80 percent of communities with public water supplies are providing water fluoridation to their residents.
Houlton Water Company supervisor Brian McGuire and his operators continue to do a fantastic job of keeping fluoride levels in the correct range so as to obtain optimum benefit to our community.
