BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Central Alabama Water, the state’s largest water utility serving the Birmingham area, will soon stop adding fluoride to its drinking water as part of broader budget reductions and employee safety measures.
The utility announced the change this week, citing the need to eliminate handling of hazardous chemicals, retire aging equipment and save costs estimated at $250,000 annually. “While we acknowledge there are strong opinions about fluoride in drinking water, this decision is based on our operational, safety and financial needs,” CEO Jeffrey F. Thompson said in a statement. Fluoride will remain at natural levels in source water, but the utility will no longer adjust it to the optimal level recommended by public health experts of 0.7 milligrams per liter.
The fluoridation process involves hydrofluosilicic acid, described by utility officials elsewhere in the state as highly acidic and capable of burning skin or concrete. Current systems are nearing the end of their life cycle and would require replacement and maintenance, according to the announcement. The move comes amid other cost-cutting steps at the utility, including the layoff of 135 workers last year — about 23% of the workforce — and the elimination of in-person payment options.
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin sharply criticized the decision, calling it part of an “anti-science, anti-public-health playbook” that prioritizes politics over well-being. In a lengthy Facebook post, Woodfin said the change strips a basic protection against tooth decay, especially for children and low-income families, and questioned why the utility is not addressing massive water loss from leaks — more than half the treated supply — instead. “Every single week, it’s a new cut. A new reduction,” Woodfin wrote. “They took our water system, promised to make it better, and they are systematically hollowing it out.”
Public health advocates back community water fluoridation as one of the top public health achievements of the 20th century, endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Dental Association and World Health Organization. It prevents cavities across socioeconomic groups at low cost, they say, with Alabama’s Oral Health Office promoting grants to maintain or expand the practice as recently as last year. The Alabama Department of Public Health notes that changing fluoridation status requires 90 days’ certified notice under state law, but it is not mandated.
The decision echoes a trend in Alabama and nationwide. The Upper Bear Creek Water Treatment Plant in northwest Alabama voted last fall to discontinue fluoride addition starting March 1, citing recent studies on potential harms and no legal mandate from state or federal authorities. Other Alabama cities including Orange Beach, Madison and Sylacauga have taken similar steps, while Utah and Florida enacted statewide bans late last year. Fluoride opponents often reference long-term health concerns, though major health groups maintain it is safe at recommended levels.
Central Alabama Water did not immediately respond to requests for additional details on the timeline, board approval process or public notification requirements. The utility has faced mounting criticism since state legislation transferred control from local hands, contributing to a credit rating downgrade, ongoing service complaints and recent workforce reductions.