A minor leak has been identified in a fluoride tank at Tauranga City Council’s Waiāri Water Treatment Plant, which requires repair.
From this week, Tauranga City Council said it will cease fluoride dosing at the Waiāri Water Treatment Plant for approximately six weeks while the tank is taken offline to be emptied, cleaned, repaired, tested and re-certified.
"During this time, fluoride levels will reduce across the Pāpāmoa coastal strip and Mount Maunganui," a spokesperson said.
This will primarily affect the fluoride levels in the water supply to residents east of Golf Road (Waiāri side).
"Residents can be assured that their water continues to be safe to drink."
The fluoride tank was installed and brought into operation in November 2024, when Council moved to comply with the Director-General of Health’s directive to fluoridate Tauranga’s water supply. The tank will be repaired under warranty.
"We are committed to keeping our residents informed and will advise the community when the tank is back online, and fluoride is re-introduced to the water supplied by the Waiāri Water Treatment Plant," a spokesperson said.
"The Ministry of Health has been advised of the leak, and our plans to rectify the issue."
The Waiāri Water Treatment Plant was brought into operation in December 2023.
12 comments
Good
Posted on 16-03-2025 17:19 | By Saul
Stop this toxic waste FULL STOP!
We don't need fluoride.
What we do need are parents stepping up to remind kids to brush teeth daily!!!
OUR WATER
Posted on 16-03-2025 19:47 | By Bruja
will be safe to drink the moment you stop putting that poison in it permanently!!! To put a known poison into our drinking water without OUR consent is criminal!!!!
Take the opportunity Mr Mayor & co. to STOP the poisoning forever!
Maybe its Time to think again...!
Posted on 16-03-2025 21:53 | By Watchdog
Such wonderful news - No poison in our water for six weeks!!!
Why not pull the plug on it altogether.
Maybe the fluoride damaged the tank
Posted on 17-03-2025 10:05 | By Maxine Woodhall
…as well as peoples health!!
Should not be in
Posted on 17-03-2025 14:44 | By an_alias
Should not be in the water supply period.
If you want to take a known toxin you can buy it from the chemist.
Hmmm
Posted on 17-03-2025 16:02 | By Let's get real
I'm pro floride and absolutely amazed at the nonsense from some comments.
It's a naturally occurring substance in many streams and rivers throughout the country. Even the Whakatane river has floride naturally present in it.
I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that our purification plants aren't able to completely remove all of the other chemicals in our drinking water, that would be far more harmful than an increased dose of floride. How many of the legal and illegal drugs that have been taken for decades, pass through our bodies and end up in the treatment plants..? Growth enhancing drugs in some of the meats and fish, lead in fish, man-made fertilisers and pest controllers on our plants and fruit.
And we still have people who are upset about a naturally occurring substance in the water along with other chemicals like bleach, meth, steroids and hormones...?
@ let's get real
Posted on 18-03-2025 08:08 | By Kancho
I agree. With the water supply from rivers and the soluble pollutants that find there way into the rivers like nitrates from animals etc. Still if people who don't trust any science even when everyday lives rely on it
@ Lets get real
Posted on 18-03-2025 09:03 | By an_alias
What amazes me is the number of people who claim the natural chemical fluoride chemically is the same as what they put in the water supply which is a bi-product of product of things like Aluminium production.
You think that is even remotely similar ?
Boy do I have a bridge to sell you, its going cheap as well, maybe the cost of playing whale songs to Kauri trees will cover it, $4M to you. I'm guessing you think that was money well spent as well.
A quote from a NIH paper
Posted on 18-03-2025 09:12 | By an_alias
The study was done in 2019 and states in the conclusion "The recent epidemiological results support the notion that elevated fluoride intake during early development can result in IQ deficits that may be considerable."
Its a shame people like @Lets get real take the risk to children so lightly.
Hmmm
Posted on 18-03-2025 10:00 | By Let's get real
There as absolutely no such thing as clean water. Even those that go to the trouble of collecting rainwater will have dissolved contaminants in it. We are seeing more and more scaremongering from the green movement every year and enormous swathes of their verbiage is easily countered by peer reviewed articles and SCIENTIFIC research.
But of course there are those who rather than choose an alternative for their idealistic world views, will rail against decades of research to find an article to support their assumptions. Articles that back up their opinion and findings by using definitive terms such as "may be considerable" or " might result in"... Certainly research to hang your beliefs upon.
Just ensure that you don't step off the edge of the planet one day folks.
@an alias
Posted on 18-03-2025 10:09 | By Let's get real
The very first paragraph from your NIH research paper doesn't really support your claims does it..? What about toothpaste, mouthwash or food..? Are we all to stop using those as well.?
Since 1945, the use of fluoride has been a successful public health initiative for reducing dental cavities and improving general oral health of adults and children. There is a concern, however, that some pregnant women and children may be getting more fluoride than they need because they now get fluoride from many sources including treated public water, water-added foods and beverages, teas, toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash, and the combined total intake of fluoride may exceed safe amounts.
Hmmm
Posted on 18-03-2025 10:59 | By Let's get real
In New Zealand, fluoride used for water fluoridation is sourced as a by-product of the superphosphate fertilizer industry, primarily in the form of hydrofluosilicic acid (HFA).
Phosphate rock, which contains fluoride and silica, is treated with sulfuric acid, and HFA is a resulting by-product.
HFA is then used as the source of fluoride for adding to municipal water supplies to achieve optimal levels for dental health benefits.
GUESS WHAT
NO ALUMINIUM
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