Will Benton Harbor start putting fluoride in the water supply again?

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- The question of restarting the fluoridation system in Benton Harbor was on the table at the city’s Wed. evening Personnel and Finance Committee meeting.

City manager, Alex Little, said Benton Harbor was one of the first cities in Michigan to start putting fluoride in its drinking water in 1951 to help with the community’s oral health.

“Dental care level is not there and this can help,” said Little.

That program ran smoothly until about two years ago, when they had to put a stop to it due to a lead line replacement and some upgrades to the water plant.

Those improvements included the actual fluoridation system, which the city was able to do with a state-administered grant.

Those upgrades and repairs are now complete, and Little would like to restart the program. However, some, like Commissioner for Ward Three, Juanita Henry, are concerned if fluoride impacts health in a negative way.

Henry also brought up the state-administered grant, explaining since the city has already used the money given for the upgrades, they must restart the system if they want those costs to be covered.

“We got to do our own research… we’re almost at a place now where we’re forced to do it. Because they’ve given us the money to put the parts in, and now they’re saying if we decide not to do it, then we’ve got to fork up that money,” said Henry.

Yet Little stays firm in his belief that the city needs to start putting fluoride in the water again to help battle tooth decay in Benton Harbor.

“I’m totally convinced that it’s in the best interest of our community to resume fluoridating our water,” said Little.

The committee voted to move the resolution forward to the City Commission to vote on during their next meeting on Jan. 21.