CORNWALL – City council will decide tonight (Tuesday) whether it will fluoridate the drinking water supply – or push the matter off until 2018.
The hotly contested public debate has been going on for years since a piece of equipment broke at the water treatment plant, forcing the city to stop fluoridating water in 2013.
The city has also seen experts in their fields make presentations to council at least twice since that time.
Council will decide whether to repair that equipment and start water fluoridation – the $340,000 repair would be paid for from the water works reserve.
It could also discontinue the addition of HFSA (hydrofluorosilicic acid) to the water but it will still cost the corporation roughly $34,000 to have a crew drain and dispose of the remaining chemicals at the Second Street West plant.
The other option is to put it off until the 2018 municipal election with a referendum on the ballot or delay it until there’s an online survey or a public open house.
Tonight’s meeting starts at 7 p.m. Watch for updates on Twitter @cwlnewswatch.