IDPH Announces 108 Iowa Communities Awarded CDC Water Fluoridation Quality Awards

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11/19/2020

IDPH Media Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Alex Carfrae
alex.carfrae@idph.iowa.gov


IDPH Announces 108 Community Water Systems in Iowa Awarded CDC Water Fluoridation Quality Award

DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Department of Public Health announced today that 108 water systems in Iowa have been awarded Water Fluoridation Quality Awards from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In addition, five communities (Forest City Water Supply, Glidden Water Supply, Manilla Municipal Service Department, Osage Municipal Water Supply, and  Paullina Municipal Water Supply) have been awarded the 50 Year Award for maintaining continuous community water fluoridation from 1969-2019. For 2019, a total of 1,523 public water systems in 29 states received these awards.

Fluoridation is the adjustment of fluoride in drinking water to a level that is effective for preventing tooth decay. The award recognizes those communities that achieved excellence in community water fluoridation by maintaining a consistent level of fluoride in drinking water throughout 2019.

“Iowa water operators have a big impact on the oral health of their community by adjusting the fluoride of their water system to the optimal level for preventing cavities,” said Dr. Bob Russell, DDS, Dental Director, Iowa Department of Public Health.

“Water fluoridation is one of the best investments that a community can make in maintaining the oral health of its citizens. It is equally as effective in preventing cavities in children and adults,” said Casey Hannan, MPH, Director, CDC Division of Oral Health. “Fluoridation is also highly cost effective. Studies continue to show that for every $1 a community invests in water fluoridation, $20 are saved in dental treatment costs.”

Community water fluoridation has been recognized by CDC as one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th Century. CDC recommends water fluoridation as one of the most practical, cost-effective, equitable, and safe measures a community can take to prevent tooth decay and improve oral health.

It is supported by the American Cancer Society, American Dental Association, American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Water Works Association and over 100 national and international organizations as a safe, effective and inexpensive method of preventing tooth decay. Both Healthy People 2030 and Healthy Iowans 2021 have set goals to increase the number of people receiving optimally fluoridated water.

IDPH supports CDC approved fluoridation programs. The IDPH Bureau of Oral and Health Delivery Systems monitors the fluoride levels of Iowa communities and provides information and assistance to water supply professionals, healthcare professionals, and the public. To see the fluoridation status of Iowa counties and towns, visit the My Water’s Fluoride website at https://nccd.cdc.gov/DOH_MWF

 

Community water systems receiving the award:

Albert City

Leon

Algona

Logan

Atlantic

Lone Tree

Audubon

Madrid

Bellevue

Mahaska Rural Water System

Bennett

Malvern

Boone

Manchester

Britt

Manilla

Burlington

Marshalltown

Carlisle

Mason City

Carroll

Milford

Casey

Minden

Cedar Falls

Missouri Valley

Cedar Rapids

Montezuma

Central Water Supply

Neveda

Corning

Newton

Council Bluffs

Northwood

Cresco

Orange City

Creston

Osage

Decorah

Osceola

Denison

Oskaloosa

Des Moines

Paullina

Dexter

Pella

Dubuque

Perry

Durant

Postville

Eagle Grove

Rathbun Regional Water Association, Inc

Eddyville

Regional Water

Eldora

Riverside

Eldridge

Rock Valley

Elk Horn

Schaller

Emmetsburg

Scranton

Estherville

Shelby (2)

Forest City

Shenandoah

Fort Madison

Sibley

Garner

Sioux City

Glenwood

Sloan

Glidden

Solon (2)

Greenfield

Spencer

Griswold

Spirit Lake

Guthrie Center

Tama

Hampton

Terril

Harlan

Thompson

Hawarden

Tipton

Huxley

University of Iowa

Iowa American Water
Company (Clinton and Davenport)

Van Meter

Iowa City

Ventura

Iowa Falls (2)

Wapello

Iowa Lakes Regional Water

Wapello Rural Water Association

Jefferson

Waterloo

Kalona

West Central Rural Water-Boyer

Kanawha

West Central –Nishnabotna

Keokuk

Winterset

Lake Mills

Woodbine

Lamoni

 

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