UK - Fluoride-dosing equipment failure criticized

Fluoride-dosing equipment failure criticized
Thursday, July 30, 2009
LONDON — The United Kingdom’s Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) has criticized utility giant Severn Trent Water for a June 2008 fluoride-dosing equipment failure that sent as much as twice the target level of fluoride into the drinking water of 29,000 homes, BBC News reported July 30.
Severn Trent Water has apologized for the June 2008 incident at its Dimmingsdale Borehole Pumping station, but said the water had still been safe to drink.
The DWI said work to complete a new fluoride dosing pump and dose controller was completed at the Dimmingsdale station near Wolverhampton on June12, 2008. The station delivers water to homes in Wolverhampton and Bridgnorth in Shropshire County.
According to the BBC News, the DWI said a routine sample on July 1, 2008, found treated water at the works containing 2 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of fluoride — twice the target level. A second test two days later showed 1.86 mg/L.
The DWI report “was critical of Severn Trent Water,” BBC News reported, noting the DWI said the company did not detect the problem for a month, and then tested the supply going to the wrong homes.