LYNDEN, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The City of Lynden has officially ended its practice of putting fluoride in its drinking water.
Lynden City Council approved an ordinance last month to repeal the city’s decades-long fluoridation program. Lynden Mayor Scott Korthuis confirmed to My Bellingham Now that he signed the ordinance into law on Thursday, May 1.
The city had been adding fluoride to its water system since 1959 as the only city in Whatcom County to do so. Almost all water contains a low level of the naturally occurring mineral, but some communities like Lynden add additional fluoride in an effort to reduce cavities.
Advocates of fluoridation say it promotes dental health, while critics call it involuntary medication that could be dangerous.
Korthuis says the fluoride system was turned off on Friday, May 2.
It will likely be a few weeks before the fluoride is completely worked out of the city’s drinking water.
