Montreal is phasing out water fluoridation for the West Island. What's the risk?

Montreal officials plan to end water fluoridation by year's end, igniting backlash from West Island municipal leaders who argue the decision lacks input from public health experts and the community.

In a statement posted to its website, Baie-D'Urfé says this decision was made without public consultation or input from demerged municipalities.

Baie-D'Urfé says water fluoridation is mostly subsidized by the provincial Health Ministry as a preventive dental health measure, and it is encouraging residents to voice their concerns to Montreal officials and the agglomeration council.

"I think that science should dictate what we do," said Dorval Mayor Marc Doret in an interview. "I'm sure people would then be able to accept the result."

Two water treatment facilities in the Montreal area add fluoride: one in Pointe-Claire and one in Dorval. Managed by the City of Montreal, they provide water to Pointe-Claire, Beaconsfield, Kirkland, Baie-d'Urfé, some of Dollard-des-Ormeaux and Dorval — all independent municipalities in the West Island.

Doret says his municipality is investigating whether the move is a breach of contract.

Montreal, which doesn't supply fluoridated water to the rest of the island, lists several reasons for stopping the treatment.

For example, there are concerns about fluoride's corrosive nature and its potential long-term damage to water infrastructure, according to Hugo Bourgoin, a spokesperson for the city.

The recommendation to end fluoridation by the end of the year will be reviewed by the agglomeration council, Bourgoin said, noting Quebec municipalities have largely abandoned the practice.

Plus only a small portion — one per cent — of drinking water is consumed by people, and wastewater treatment does not remove fluoride, leading to its discharge into the St. Lawrence River, he said.

"We would be putting fluoride in our drinking water for washing our cars, for using in the shower and all of this is going into the St. Lawrence after so why put all these chemicals into the water?" said Maja Vodanovic, Montreal's executive committee member responsible for water.

The city also points to a report by the United States National Toxicology Program which found that higher levels of fluoride exposure, such as drinking water containing more than 1.5 milligrams of fluoride per litre, are associated with lower IQ in children. 

There's only 0.7 milligrams per litre in the water treated for the West Island.

"What the research says is that today, there's a lot of fluoride in toothpaste. Children use that," said Vodanovic. "There's mouthwash. So if you combine a child using fluoride on his toothbrush and drinks fluoride water, then they might be exceeding the amount."