Fluoridation Project Fails

The city's long-awaited, much-debated fluoridation project has rotted away.

The California Dental Association Foundation, the organization that had committed to pay for the fluoridation facility that would pump cavity-preventing elements into every drop of Watsonville's water, emailed the city Thursday to pull out of the agreement because costs have ballooned.

"After more than a decade of fighting and controversy and turmoil in the community, now it's all over with one email," City Manager Carlos Palacios said.

The CDAF had estimated spending about $1.6 million on the total project but the lowest construciton bid was $2.8 million and did not include the costs of electronic control programming and two years of operation and maintenance, according to the Feb. 2 email sent to Palacios and Watsonville City Clerk Beatriz Florez.

"Because the lowest bid exceeds that amount, CDAF is reluctantly exercising its option to declare the FFA null and void," the email stated.

The city started the process to fluoridate drinking water in 2000, in response to the large amount of dental issues in the largely blue-collar community where one-third of the population is younger than 18. But voters passed Measure S in 2002, prohibiting the government from adding substances to the water that weren't FDA-approved.

Fluoride fell in a gray area, sparking controversy.

While organizations such as the nonprofit health organization Salud Para La Gente have been in favor of the effort, several community members regularly address the Watsonville City Council about their fears regarding fluoridation.

Two names have surfaced as the spokesmen for and against fluoridating the municipal water supply. Sara Clarenbach of Salud Para La Gente, speaking on behalf of her organization, explained that fluoridating the water is necessary for the dental health of the city population. Watsonville citizen Nick Bulaich maintained that without sufficient scientific evidence that fluoridation treatments improve dental health, it should not be added to the municipal water supply.

Eventually, a court ruling compelled Watsonville to fluoridate the water, so long as funding was available. The lawsuit, City of Watsonville v. California Department of Health Services, established significant legal precedence, CDAF stated.

Although CADF will no longer provide the financial backing for the project, it still supports the ideal.

"We must do everything we can do to support the oral health of the community of Watsonville—sadly, as a result of this project not moving forward at this time, many will continue to struggle with tooth decay, unnecessarily," CDAF's email read.

Council Member Emilio Martinez first reported Thursday's development in his blog, the Watsonville Fishing Report, Thursday morning. Read CDAF's full emai on his blog.