The Woodstock area’s public health unit has issued another public reminder about the levels of naturally present fluoride and sodium in some of Oxford County’s municipal drinking water.
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Southwestern public health officials, who regularly issue these reminders, said these naturally occurring minerals may pose concerns for some residents. Parents with children seven years of age and younger should be aware of fluoride exposure to prevent dental fluorosis, while those on sodium-restricted diets should pay close attention to the sodium they may be ingesting from municipal water.
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Amy Pavletic, the agency’s program manager of environmental health, said the health unit is responsible for letting the public know this information.
“The drinking water in Oxford County is unique in the sense that the groundwater comes from underground aquifers that have naturally occurring levels of fluoride and sodium,” she said.
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“Any drinking water that has a sodium level under 200 milligrams per liter is considered safe. It’s not that the water is unsafe for the general public, but if there are individuals who might be on sodium-restricted diets due to various medical conditions, we advise that, if they are consuming water that has sodium levels above 20 mg/L, they be aware they could be consuming more sodium than their health professional may advise.”
People on these sodium-restricted diets often include patients with kidney disease, heart disease, high blood pressure or liver disease. These residents should speak to their doctor or health-care provider about how sodium in the water could impact their health. Communities with sodium levels that range above the recommended level of 20 mg/L include Tavistock, Bright, Brownsville, Embro, Ingersoll, Mount Elgin, Oxford South, Plattsville, Thamesford, Tillsonburg and Woodstock.
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When it comes to fluoride in the water supply, Pavletic noted there is no health concern but instead an issue of aesthetics.
“It is to protect against dental fluorosis or discoloration of teeth in children seven years of age and under. Because of the naturally occurring fluoride, Oxford County does not add it to the drinking water. It is low and safe for the public to drink.
“However, when the levels do get high, we want to make sure people with children under the age of seven know they could have some small flecks or observed marks on their teeth indicating fluorosis,” she said.
While fluoride levels as high as 2.4 mg/L are safe to drink, a reading above 1.5 mg/L could lead to discolouration. Fluoride levels higher than 1.5 mg/L have been reported in the communities of Brownsville, Ingersoll, Lakeside, Mount Elgin, and Oxford South during recent sampling events. Health unit officials recommended households with young children in these communities cut back on other sources of fluoride, like choosing non-fluoride toothpaste, to prevent fluorosis.
Despite these concerns, Pavletic said she wouldn’t necessarily recommend drinking bottled water or using the various filtration systems on the market.
“You don’t have to buy other sources (of water) if it’s not something that concerns you. It’s really about people taking their health into their own hands when it comes to these elevated levels,” she said.
Oxford County’s 17 municipal drinking water systems are continuously monitored to ensure safety and quality.
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