USA - Westmoreland customers getting flouride out of their water
By Bob Stiles
Published: Tuesday, January 22, 2013, 12:01 a.m.
Updated 4 hours ago
With a few twists of his wrist, Charles Gallo of Ligonier Township says he can protect himself from a harmful substance in his drinking water.
He recently attached a reverse-osmosis purification device to his kitchen tap to rid his water of fluoride.
He and about 1,500 Ligonier Valley customers of the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County will soon get fluoridated water through a 14-mile pipeline from the Johnstown Municipal Authority.
The Westmoreland authority doesn‘t add fluoride to its water, but the Johnstown Municipal Authority does.
Customers in Ligonier Borough, Laughlintown, Laurel Mountain and parts of Ligonier Township will receive the Johnstown water once line testing is completed, probably this month, said John Ashton, assistant manager of the Westmoreland authority.
Gallo, who works as a clinical psychologist in Monroeville, said the water at his home will be modified by the purification device.
“What it does is remove contaminants such as fluoride, chlorine, and makes it safe to consume,” Gallo said.
He maintains fluoride is potentially harmful, although the American Medical Association, the American Dental Association, the Pennsylvania Dental Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say fluoridated water helps to prevent tooth decay.
ADDITIVE SUPPORTED
The CDC calls water fluoridation “one of the 10 most significant public health achievements of the 20th century.”
More than half of Pennsylvanians served by public water systems drink fluoridated water, according to the CDC.
Although the Westmoreland authority doesn‘t add fluoride for its 400,000 customers, it will begin adding it in a few years to the supply going to Monroeville and Plum — at the municipalities‘ request, authority manager Chris Kerr said.
“It won‘t affect any other customers,” Kerr said.
The authority serves parts of Westmoreland, Indiana, Fayette and Allegheny counties.
Removal of the fluoride from water coming from Johnstown‘s system is “cost prohibitive,” Kerr said.
Fluoride strengthens tooth enamel, making it more resistant to acids that cause decay, advocates say.
“Nobody with any scientific credentials has ever said it‘s not safe,” said Dr. Bernie Dishler, president of the Pennsylvania Dental Association.
Opponents rely on “junk science,” said Dishler, a Montgomery County dentist...
How can Dr Berni Dishler say such a thing. How ignorant is he?
Published: Tuesday, January 22, 2013, 12:01 a.m.
Updated 4 hours ago
With a few twists of his wrist, Charles Gallo of Ligonier Township says he can protect himself from a harmful substance in his drinking water.
He recently attached a reverse-osmosis purification device to his kitchen tap to rid his water of fluoride.
He and about 1,500 Ligonier Valley customers of the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County will soon get fluoridated water through a 14-mile pipeline from the Johnstown Municipal Authority.
The Westmoreland authority doesn‘t add fluoride to its water, but the Johnstown Municipal Authority does.
Customers in Ligonier Borough, Laughlintown, Laurel Mountain and parts of Ligonier Township will receive the Johnstown water once line testing is completed, probably this month, said John Ashton, assistant manager of the Westmoreland authority.
Gallo, who works as a clinical psychologist in Monroeville, said the water at his home will be modified by the purification device.
“What it does is remove contaminants such as fluoride, chlorine, and makes it safe to consume,” Gallo said.
He maintains fluoride is potentially harmful, although the American Medical Association, the American Dental Association, the Pennsylvania Dental Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say fluoridated water helps to prevent tooth decay.
ADDITIVE SUPPORTED
The CDC calls water fluoridation “one of the 10 most significant public health achievements of the 20th century.”
More than half of Pennsylvanians served by public water systems drink fluoridated water, according to the CDC.
Although the Westmoreland authority doesn‘t add fluoride for its 400,000 customers, it will begin adding it in a few years to the supply going to Monroeville and Plum — at the municipalities‘ request, authority manager Chris Kerr said.
“It won‘t affect any other customers,” Kerr said.
The authority serves parts of Westmoreland, Indiana, Fayette and Allegheny counties.
Removal of the fluoride from water coming from Johnstown‘s system is “cost prohibitive,” Kerr said.
Fluoride strengthens tooth enamel, making it more resistant to acids that cause decay, advocates say.
“Nobody with any scientific credentials has ever said it‘s not safe,” said Dr. Bernie Dishler, president of the Pennsylvania Dental Association.
Opponents rely on “junk science,” said Dishler, a Montgomery County dentist...
How can Dr Berni Dishler say such a thing. How ignorant is he?
posted by Bill at
10:18 AM
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