I recently moved to the Asheville area. I was drawn here by the gorgeous mountain vistas, the delicious food and the friendly nature of the people. I have recently started looking for a home and was surprised to learn that my options are severely limited by the addition of fluoride into the public water supply. Coming from a background in health services, I am aware of the controversy of the compound, which is not a naturally occurring substance, but a byproduct of several, industries including aluminum manufacturing and fertilizer production.
The Centers for Disease Control reported that fluorides are only effective in preventing tooth decay when used topically. Ingesting it into the body provides no health benefits but is linked to dental fluorosis (discolored and mottled teeth) and bones (joint and bone disorder.) The medical community has also used fluoride in the past to suppress thyroid function. This means that drinking fluoride-treated public water can lead to hypothyroidism symptoms, which may include such problems as depression, fatigue, weight gain, muscle and joint pains, increased cholesterol levels and heart disease. Fluoride is scientifically proven to accumulate in the pineal gland, which is also called the “seat of the soul,” and over time can lead to calcification of this organ. The pineal gland is active when we are dreaming or being creative. Some studies link fluoride to arthritis, bone cancer and lower IQ.
With this list of maladies, it seems incredible that we would allow it into our water supply where it will ultimately end up back in the ground in our soil and groundwater, where it will accumulate. The good news is that fluoride is added to Asheville's potable water based on a positive vote of citizens in Asheville. It is up to the City Council and the citizens of Asheville to determine if they want to change.
More information is available on the subject at http://www.fluoridealert.org.
— Betty Scotto
Weaverville
Agreed … get it out of the water.
What relevance does the fact that the letter writer “recently moved to the Asheville area” have to do with the issues she raises? Is she maintaining that her views should carry more weight because she is a new commer?
Adding Fluoride willingly to drinking water is insane. It’s even classified as hazardous waste that would otherwise be criminal, to dump into any body of water. It’s entirely against the Clean Water Act to add Fluoride to water. Yet, somehow it gets magically transformed into harmless fairy dust – once it passes through our body into the toilet?
I am aware of the controversy of the compound, which is not a naturally occurring substance,
Not to argue one way or the other, but Fluoride is actually a naturally occurring substance.
Fluoride is found naturally in low concentration in drinking water and foods. Waters from underground sources are more likely to have higher levels of fluoride, whereas the concentration in seawater averages 1.3 parts per million (ppm). Fresh water supplies generally contain between 0.01–0.3 ppm, whereas the ocean contains between 1.2 and 1.5 ppm
http://www.inchem.org/documents/ehc/ehc/ehc227.htm#5.0
What if we replace the fluoride with some LSD?
Being a new comer I was suprised as a lot of people that live in Asheville are into organic all natural foods. That really is not the point. The point is fluoride is poison. They do not add the naturally occuring kind to the water they use the by products from fertilizer production.
I believe it is the responsibility of the water department to provide clean safe drinking water and not to medicate the people against their consent. Maybe that is only me???
I have lived here 15 years and was not aware until about 4 years ago that the city pays about $20,000 to have fluoride put into the Asheville city water. I contacted one of the city commissioners then and he said the only way to stop this is to start a grass roots petition.
I have asked many residents if they are aware that there is fluoride in the water and they say “no” and are usually horrified. They think if they have water filters on their tap they are safe. Wrong! There are few water filtrations that eliminate this chemical. With recent disclosure in the past year in main stream media about the hazards of ingesting flouride, it seems time to quit this practice…and the city can save money. It’s our money too!
As far as I know the only filter that can remove the fluoride is a reverse osmosis and you can be sure that everyone that is aware of the danger and has the resources is diligently trying to remove it from their own water but you are right. What about all the people that are unaware of the risks? How many people out there are sick and don’t know why? How many citizens are aware and do not have the resources to remove this from their drinking water? As always, it is the poor whom they are claiming to help but it is the poor who suffer. They are the ones who do not have a choice if they cant afford a fancy filtration system or to purchase spring water from the store every week. As I said there are no health benefits from ingesting this toxin. It may be beneficial if applied topically. That is why on the tube of toothpaste it warns “DO NOT SWALLOW.” They say it is a naturally occuring substance but the natural stuff is calcium fluoride and the stuff that they put in the water is sodium fluoride which is totally different. If they really wanted to improve dental health they could provide a free fluoride rinse in the schools instead of forcing everyone to drink the stuff. This has got to be against our civil rights.
Any more activity on this. I would like to move there but will not if fluoride is in the picture.
Does anyone have an update and know if the fluoride has been completely removed yet, and if not are they planning to do so anytime soon?
I am currently a renter living almost an hour away who would like to purchase a small home in Asheville but will not do so if the water still contains Fluoride — if it hasn’t been completely removed I’ll buy in an area that does not poison their community members. Does anyone know?