Flushing out the Facts on Fluoride in Louisville’s Drinking Water

Louisville Water is an anchor for public health, providing drinking water to nearly one million people in our service area every day. We recognize the importance of drinking water to overall health, specifically for good oral hygiene, and we use science to support our work.

Grand Rapids, Michigan was the first U.S. city to introduce fluoridation in 1945. It wasn’t until 1951, following other cities, that Louisville Water began fluoridating the city’s drinking water with a goal of preventing tooth decay.

So, what exactly is fluoridation?

It essentially means adjusting the amount of fluoride that is naturally present in water.

For more than 165 years, science and research have guided our work. When it comes to oral health, we rely on the dental and medical experts and their research to make the best decisions. The American Dental Association endorses community water fluoridation as a cost-effective and safe way to improve oral health.

Currently, we adhere to the regulation enforced by the Kentucky Department of Public Health. It requires all Kentucky public water utilities serving populations greater than 3,000 to adjust the fluoride levels of treated water for dental health to between 0.6 and 1.2 parts per million (ppm). Louisville Pure Tap® contains an average level of 0.6-0.7 ppm.