Jackson Jambalaya

Local well systems haven't used fluoride for several years.  

The fluoridation of water may be a thing of the past in Ridgeland if Mayor Gene McGee has his way.

 The Ridgland Board of Ealdormen and Mayor McGee will discuss discontinuing adding fluoride to Ridgeland's water system at its Board meeting tonight.  

Mayor McGee said the city has not been adding fluoride to the water in three years thanks to a shortage of chemicals required to fluoridate the water.   Public Works Director Alan Hart said the equipment would have to be replaced and estimated the cost at $160,000.  The chemicals cost another $60,000 per year.  

Ridgeland's leaders can not merely snap their fingers and make fluoridation go away.  Mr. Hart said it would probably take six months for Ridgeland to formally discontinue fluoridation due to Mississippi State Department of Health regulations.  

Health Department guidelines spell out the discontinuation process: 

* The city must make a presentation in person to the Board of Health.  The presentation is limited to 20 minutes.  

* Ridgeland must provide a public notice for 30 days and communicate its intention to its customers and the dental community. 

* The Board of Ealdormen must hold a public hearing on de-fluoridation. 

* The Board must provide a public comment period of thirty days.  The city is required to allow public comments via telephone although emails and mail are allowed (but not required).  

* The Ealdormen must vote on whether to discontinue fluoridation. If it votes to do so, Ridgeland must issue a second notice of the decision to its residents and customers . 

Ironically, most local water systems have not been adding fluoride to their water systems for several years.  JXN Water Manager Ted Henifin said Jackson has been adding flouride to surface water as the ground water system uses liquid chemicals.  However, the wells serving South Jackson use bagged chemicals.  Mr. Henifin said those have been in short supply because the only manufacturers are in Belgium and China. He said the well water has not been fluoridated since JXN Water began operating in late 2022.  

Clinton Mayor Will Purdie said Clinton has not been fluoridating its water due to the inability to obtain chemicals.