City of Santa Clara
MenuWater Fluoridation Facts and Information
| Naturally occurring in all water supplies, fluoride is one of the most plentiful elements on Earth. |
Water Fluoridation
At optimal levels in drinking water, fluoride promotes oral health by preventing tooth decay. Passed in 1995, California's Fluoridated Drinking Water Act requires water systems with 10,000 or more service connections to fluoridate if funding is available.
Fluoridation Facts
| All drinking water naturally contains some fluoride. |
| 63% of the U.S. population receives fluoridated water. |
| Adults and children benefit from drinking fluoridated water throughout their lives. |
| Every $1 spent on fluoridation saves $120 in dental treatment costs. |
| Fluoridation will not change the taste, odor or appearance of your water. |
Fluoridation Benefits
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If consumed regularly, drinking fluoridated water provides about 60% of the protection necessary to fight cavities. Fluoride works to strengthen tooth enamel and reverse newly formed cavities. Teeth become more resistant to decay. |
Current Fluoridation
| Though Santa Clara has three sources of potable water, only water from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) supplements naturally occurring fluoride in its drinking water. SFPUC's Hetch Hetchy water meets levels recommended by the California Department of Health Services at 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water (mg/L). SFPUC's fluoridated water primarily serves the area shown on the map in blue: north of Highway 101 in zip code 95054. This water may be blended with local well water due to seasonal operating conditions or water system demands. |
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| All other areas of Santa Clara receive unfluoridated water imported from Valley Water or from local groundwater wells. There are no plans to fluoridate Santa Clara's other water sources. Capital and operational costs to fluoridate all water sources within the City are cost prohibitive. |
Fluoridation Safety
Extensive research conducted over 50 years shows that fluoridation of public water supplies is a safe and effective way to reduce tooth decay. The health organizations below endorse community water fluoridation:
- American Association of Public Health
- American Dental Association
- American Medical Association
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- U.S. Public Health Service
- U.S. Surgeon General
- World Health Organization
Dietary Fluoride Supplements
Health professionals advise that fluoride supplements, whether pills or drops, must be discontinued once water fluoridation begins. Drinking optimally fluoridated water on a regular basis makes the use of fluoride supplements unnecessary. If you are in the area that receives fluoridated water, check with your dentist or physician on dosage.
More Information
For information on fluoride in your drinking water, call Santa Clara Water & Sewer Utilities at (408) 615-2000.
For health-related information, contact the Santa Clara County Public Health Department at (408) 792-5040.