[ad_1]
Supplied
Clive Fleming checks the equipment that will introduce fluoride into New Plymouth’s water supply by the end of this month.
Around the same time crowds of anti-fluoride campaigners were gathering in the Civic Centre, the New Plymouth District Council issued a media release on Tuesday to update progress on returning the mineral to the region’s water supply.
New equipment enabling fluoride to be added to the New Plymouth water supply was being put through its paces in time to meet the director-general of health’s deadline of July 31, the release said.
The Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Bill, which was passed in November 2021, removed the decision for water fluoridation away from councils.
The specialised equipment allowing water to be dosed with fluoride cost around $200,000 and would be paid for by the Ministry of Health.
New Plymouth’s drinking water had not been fluoridated since 2011, when the council voted to remove it from the city’s supply.
The decision was described by Taranaki Dental Association president Dr David Antunovic as council relenting to “quackery over science” although the views of those present on Tuesday was overwhelmingly against the mandate.
Despite fluoride not being on the agenda at the extraordinary meeting, New Plymouth mayor Neil Holdom afforded a number of deputations to be made on the subject.
STUFF
Fluoride will be added to New Plymouth’s water supply by the end of the month.
The anti-fluoride speakers were greeted with resounding applause from their supporters as one-by-one they stepped up to make counter claims to the health benefits of the mineral being added to the water supply.
Fluoride Free New Zealand Kane Titchener, who travelled south from Te Awamutu, likened its effects of adding it to the water supply to having lead in paint and petrol.
“It’s time that we listened and stopped fluoridation,” he said.
Chris Lind, who told council he had spent his working career involved in risk assessment and health and safety, wanted to know if council had done due diligence.
There was only one speaker amongst the crowd who vocalised their support for the reintroduction of fluoride.
Pip Abernathy brought a “NPDC opts 4 the science” placard to the meeting and was shouted down by the anti-fluoride crowd when she asked how long people were going to have “listen to these lies”.
Through all the deputations Holdom and fellow elected members kept any questions to themselves.
Meanwhile, once council moved to items on the agenda, it approved loaning the Taranaki Arts Festival Trust $1.01 million each year for the next three years to help run Womad.
The Pukekura Park draft reserve management plan was also approved to go out for a second round of public consultation.
[ad_2]