The Office of Drinking Water announces that the city of Danville water system has received a Water Fluoridation Quality Award from the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The award recognizes community water systems that met a number of stringent community water fluoridation requirements throughout 2012.
“Community water fluoridation is one of the most effective ways that communities can use to prevent tooth decay in children and adults,” stated Dr. Katherine Weno, director of the CDC Division of Oral Health. “Our current research shows that people living in fluoridated communities have about 25 percent fewer cavities. We continue to increase the number of states that use WFRS (Water Fluoridation Reporting System) as a tool to manage the quality of their water fluoridation programs.”
Community water fluoridation has been recognized by CDC as one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th Century. Currently, nearly three-quarters (73.9 percent) – or 204 million people – served by community water system have access to optimally fluoridated tap water. CDC recommends water fluoridation as a safe, effective and inexpensive method of preventing decay. Every $1 invested in fluoridation saves at least $38 in costs for dental treatment.
In 2008, more than 195 million people, or 72.4 percent of the U.S. population served by public supplies, consumed drinking water with optimal fluoride levels for preventing decay.
“Thanks to the efforts of communities in Virginia, community water fluoridation reaches more than 80 percent of residents,” said Director of the Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Drinking Water John J. Aulbach II. “By providing optimal levels of fluoride in their water supplies, these communities are helping to improve the health of their citizens as well as reduce the costs associated with tooth decay.”
For more information about community water fluoridation visit: http://www.vahealth.org/dental/communitywaterfluoridation/index.htm
Danville Utilities provides natural gas, water, wastewater and telecommunications services in Danville and distributes electricity to approximately 42,000 customer locations in a 500-square-mile service territory covering Danville, the southern third of Pittsylvania County, and small portions of Henry and Halifax counties.