On February 6 and 7, 2019, the residents of 50 homes in Sandy City, UT, experienced what is known as a "fluoride overfeed" for two hours. This occurred mainly because of a combination of human error and a snowstorm that caused a power failure at the city's water plant.
Johnny Johnson Jr., DMD, president of the American Fluoridation Society.Officials also tested more than 2,800 homes for possible exposure to high levels of copper and lead from the incident. The "no drink" order was lifted for 2,200 homes on February 17 and an additional 600 homes later that same day. As the American Fluoridation Society has received continuing calls and emails about the situation, we wanted to provide the dental community with information about the incident.
It is important to acknowledge that any incident involving a community's public water supply is serious. It is also important that you understand the information provided by the utility district at this time:
- Those impacted by the fluoride overfeed were residents of 50 homes.
- The fluoride levels were returned to normal within two hours by flushing the pipes, which was done by the city's public utility department crews.
A map from the Sandy City website illustrates the areas impacted and the response.
How did this all come about?
The incident was caused by a combination of human error and maintenance issues, according to multiple reports. Normally, during maintenance, the city's fluoridation system would be shut off (the city's fluoride pump controls are interconnected with the controls for the water pumps).
However, a snowstorm occurred that caused a power failure at the water plant, resulting in the water and fluoride pumps losing power and not running. This generally would not have been an issue, but, in this instance, the fluoride pump was inappropriately hardwired by a contractor in noncompliance with state regulations. What this means is that the power source for the fluoride pump was powered independently of the water supply pump. When the power resumed, the fluoride pump restarted, but water supply pumps did not immediately do so.
Updated information available
The Sandy City public utilities department has an update on its website. The city is also offering those homes affected a $25 credit on their water bill.
The American Fluoridation Society understands that Sandy City and the state of Utah are continuing to investigate the events that led to this incident.
Johnny Johnson Jr., DMD, is the president of the American Fluoridation Society.
The comments and observations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DrBicuspid.com, nor should they be construed as an endorsement or admonishment of any particular idea, vendor, or organization.
