The city of Sweet Home will stop adding fluoride to its drinking water this month.
City councilors in the eastern Linn County community approved an ordinance in early July to remove fluoride from public water supplies.
The city first introduced fluoride into its water system in 1964 following a special election where residents voted in favor of fluoridation.
In a recent city council meeting, some residents and councilman Ken Bronson suggested the decision should go back in the public’s hands.
In response, Sweet Home Mayor Susan Coleman said her constituents had voiced a preference for the council to vote instead.
“I was considering voting to have it put on the ballot as well. But after speaking to many people connected to me … the sentiment that I have is very strong from many people and I need to represent the people that have elected me,” said Coleman.
According to city documents, it costs Sweet Home around $20,000 annually to operate the fluoride system. The city’s general fund for the 2025-26 budget year is roughly $7.7 million.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, community water fluoridation helps remove oral health disparities by preventing cavities. Across the country, the topic of fluoridation has brought forward both supporters and opponents, with many arguments surrounding the practice, ranging from evidence-based concerns to conspiracy theories.
The ordinance to remove fluoride from Sweet Home’s water goes into effect on Thursday.
