Fluoride treatments set to return to Buffalo Water

In the coming weeks or months, the water coming out of Buffalo’s taps will once again contain fluoride.

Recently, a diver dove into the river near the Colonel Ward Pumping Station to begin the process of preparing the city’s water system for fluoridation. The diver completed a disinfection process and installed a flow meter in a 90-inch treated water line, which “will measure treated water flow rates and help determine the appropriate amount of fluoride added during treatment,” the city said.

Oluwole “OJ” McFoy, president of Buffalo Water, called the flow meter installation “a major step forward in the construction of new improvements to Buffalo Water’s filtration plant system. We are grateful to partner with local marine experts who understand the importance of this part of the construction and can use their diving skills to assist us. This project required everyone to come together to ensure Buffalo Water met our late summer deadline.”

In order to refluorinate the water supply, Buffalo Water is also installing electrical equipment, conduit and wiring for new equipment and panels, in addition to upgrading other parts of the water system. “Since receiving state approval to proceed with additional system upgrades earlier this year, Buffalo Water has worked with city, county and state regulators, consultants, contractors and vendors to successfully and on timely completion of construction,” the city said.

The city must then complete installation of a fluoride analyzer and dosing pumps before programming is complete and the new system can be tested, with work continuing through August so that fluoride will be back in Buffalo City’s water by the end of the summer.

The city’s water system has been without fluoride for nearly a decade, but residents were never notified of the change, leading to several lawsuits against local officials. The lack of fluoride wasn’t revealed until last year, when the Buffalo News reported on it. At the time, Mayor Byron Brown said the treatment known to help prevent cavities and strengthen teeth would be back in the water supply by 2023, but Buffalo Water didn’t get approval from the New York State Department of Health for the new system until January. Dentists said the lack of fluoride has created a health inequity for city children who don’t get the same dental health benefits as suburban and rural children, since fluoride is commonly used in public water systems across the country.