Laconia wins award for fluoridation of its drinking water

LACONIA — The city has received an award for the fluoridation of its drinking water.

The award from the federal Centers for Disease Control was presented Thursday by representatives from the state Department of Health and Human Services, and the New Hampshire Oral Health Coalition.

Water Department Superintendent Ben Crawford, and Brian McCall, the department’s supervisor of water quality, accepted the award from Karen Craver, who was representing the state’s oral health program. Other Water Department employees and Water Commission Chairman Dennis Bothamley also attended the presentation luncheon held at the Water Treatment Facility.

The award is for the performance of the department’s fluoridation program during 2018.

Fluoride occurs naturally in water, but in most cases not at a sufficient level to prevent tooth decay. Fluoride reduces decay by strengthening tooth enamel. The U.S. Public Health Service recommends 0.7 parts per million as the appropriate level of fluoride in public water supplies.

Water fluoridation has resulted in a 25 percent reduction in tooth decay, according to Gail Brown, executive director of the New Hampshire Oral Health Coalition.

“It’s one of the top 10 accomplishments of the 20th century,” she said.

Laconia’s water system has “consistently optimized” its fluoridation program since it started fluoridating the water when the treatment facility was built in 1989, Craver, the state epidemiologist, said.

Water treatment facility employees check the fluoridation level every two hours. The samples are taken at the facility and at about six other locations around the department’s service area.

Laconia was one of eight community water systems across the state to receive the award, and the only one in central New Hampshire.