BUFFALO, N.Y. — The City of Buffalo has been granted approval to restore fluoride to water in the city.
The Buffalo Common Council recently met, urging the city to put it back into the water because of health concerns.
Back in 2015, the city stopped adding fluoride to its water when it attempted to upgrade its water system, saying there were concerns about lead contamination.
The New York State Department of Health approved the move, meaning that the city can begin construction, with plans to complete fluoride reinstatement in municipal drinking water by this summer.
“This project will include upgrades to our current water system and equipment, allowing for a safe distribution of fluoride in our drinking water," Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said.
"I want to thank Buffalo Water for working in collaboration with the New York State and Erie County Departments of Health and achieving the green light for construction to restore fluoride to the City of Buffalo's water supply.”
A class action lawsuit was filed by residents of the city in June 2023 regarding the discontinuation of fluoridated water.
"We're estatic," said Robert Corp. "We've been calling on the city to restore the fluoride in the water since last January."
Corp is representing the residents in the class action.
"We're proud that the pressure from the people, especially the our clients, plaintiffs in our lawsuit, was able to help force the bureaucrats to restore this vital public health measure," Corp said. "It can't happen soon enough, as far as we're concerned."
The city said Buffalo Water will improve pumps, pipes, injection pipes, monitoring equipment, and associated appurtenances during the process.
Buffalo Common Council President Christopher Scanlon said in a statement he was happy to learn that the city can move forward, following months of meetings and planning.
“I want to thank our Council leadership team, my colleagues on the Council, and our dedicated residents, along with dental experts, who tirelessly advocated for this crucial issue and educated us on the importance of fluoride in our drinking water," Scanlon said.