How much does water fluoridation cost?
There are three components to the costs that may be reported related to fluoridation: 1) Start up costs of purchasing fluoridation equipment. These costs will vary depending on the type of equipment purchased. 2) Ongoing costs of adding and monitoring fluoride and maintaining the equipment. It has been calculated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that the annual cost of water fluoridation in the United States is $0.72 per person, with a range between $0.17 and $7.62 per person, depending mostly on the size of a community, labor cost, and the type of fluoride compounds utilized. 3) Other improvements to water systems that occur at the same time. When initiating fluoridation, water companies may use the opportunity to upgrade other aspects of their equipment and facilities but these costs should not be considered part of fluoridation expenses. Data from generally accepted scientific studies continue to confirm that fluoridation has substantial lifelong decay preventive ef
