Halifax Water acknowledges that it should have notified customers about the interruption of fluoridation at both J. Douglas Kline (Pockwock Lake) and Lake Major water supply plants over the past several years. We take feedback very seriously and want to assure customers and the public that they will be made aware of these interruptions moving forward. These were operational decisions based on independent equipment issues at both water supply plants that had to be repaired or replaced at each facility.
From an operations perspective, Halifax Water intends to resume the fluoridation process when systems are ready and it is safe to do so. We will advise our customers when this occurs.
Halifax Water reports all changes in drinking water treatment, including fluoridation, to the Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSECC) when they occur, as required by its Approval to Operate permit.
“Halifax Water is committed to meeting our regulatory commitments to provide safe drinking water. However, we also understand that we need to improve our communications related to longer-term interruptions of our fluoridation process with our customers, our Board of Commissioners and the Municipality. We will work to address these gaps moving forward,” said Kenda MacKenzie, Acting General Manager of Halifax Water.
In Nova Scotia, the addition of fluoride is not a regulatory requirement or mandatory. Traditionally, communities have determined whether to add fluoride based on recommendations and input from public health officials.
Halifax Water has added fluoride at some water supply plants since the mid-1950s. The decision to add fluoride at Lake Major and Pockwock Lake was most recently revisited in 2014. At that time, the Halifax Water Board of Commissioners endorsed fluoridation based on support from the IWK, the Nova Scotia Dental Association, and the Dalhousie University Faculty of Dentistry.
Any future decisions on fluoridation will be based on engagement with the Halifax Water Board and Public Health. Additionally, any infrastructure improvements that require significant capital costs and operational risks associated with upgrades will undergo a rigorous regulatory review process.
Background Information: Fluoridation at Halifax Water
Pockwock Lake:
Since August 2021, the fluoridation system at the Pockwock Lake water supply plant has experienced intermittent leaks. Without proper safety precautions, fluoride can be dangerous to store and use, so the decision was made to take the system offline for repairs when needed. Most recently, leaks led to the system being taken offline in May 2023 for repairs. Additional leaks were found in September 2024. The repairs are nearly complete, and the system is expected to resume fluoridation by the end of the year.
Lake Major:
In 2020, the fluoride storage tank at Lake Major was at the end of its useful life and becoming a safety risk, so the decision was made to take it offline. Throughout 2021-2022, staff began plans to replace it, and a capital project was initiated. However, before the design could be completed in 2023, record-setting rainfall events during the summer of that year caused significant changes in lake water quality. These changes increased the need for additional chemicals used in the treatment process to meet compliance obligations. As a result, there is now a space constraint at the supply plant as additional room is needed to accommodate more chemical storage tanks to ensure an uninterrupted supply of the extra chemicals required in the treatment process. Based on current plans, the updated fluoride equipment has been included within a more extensive scope of upgrades that will take place at the Lake Major Water Supply plant within 5-7 years.
Halifax Water’s Smaller Water Supply Systems:
Smaller systems operated by Halifax Water at Bennery Lake, Five Islands, Bomont, Middle Musquodoboit, Collins Park, and Silver Sands have never included fluoride in the treatment process.
To learn more about drinking water treatment, please visit https://www.halifaxwater.ca/chlorine-fluoride.
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