Why stop fluoridation?

This decision was made following an analysis carried out by experts from the Service de l’eau, who have determined that:

• Only 1% of the drinking water produced at the plants is consumed by humans.
• Fluoride is a highly corrosive product that can damage our infrastructures in the long term.
• Wastewater treatment does not remove fluoride from the water. The water is discharged into the St. Lawrence River and there are few studies about its impact on aquatic plants and animals.

All Québec municipalities except for Saint-Georges in Beauce have stopped fluoridating the water.

In addition, there are other means than fluoridation to promote good dental health.

The city offers high quality drinking water to the entire population, regardless of the borough or neighbouring municipality.

Next steps

Fluoridation will continue until supplies are exhausted.

These two plants, which the city has operated since 2014, provide approximately 5% of the drinking water on the island of Montréal.

The Pointe-Claire plant supplies Pointe-Claire, Beaconsfield, Kirkland and Baie-d’Urfé as well as a portion of Dollard-des-Ormeaux within the following limits:

• South of Boulevard de Salaberry
• East of Rue Somerset
• West of Rue Iberville and Rue Tecumseh

The Dorval plant serves Dorval, Dorval Island and facilities at the Montréal-Trudeau airport.

The other 4 drinking water production plants on the island of Montréal do not fluoridate their water. All 19 Montréal boroughs, as well as the other territories in the agglomeration, have excellent quality drinking water that is not fluoridated.