TWO RIVERS (NBC 26) — Two Rivers city leaders are taking a fresh look at a practice that has been in place for more than 70 years — adding fluoride to the city's water supply.
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The Two Rivers City Council is meeting Tuesday evening to discuss and potentially vote on whether the city should continue fluoridating its water.
City Manager Kyle Kordell said the conversation began in July.
"It's hard to answer these questions about why do you do it this way, why do you put fluoride in the water and the real answer is because we've always done it this way. So we thought it was time for a fresh decision," Kordell said.
Kordell said cost is not driving the review. The city spends about $12,000 a year to add fluoride to its water supply.
"This is not about money and we are not having this money so we can save money going into the next budget cycle," Kordell said.
Once fluoride is added to the water, it is diluted, and the DNR says the water is safe to drink.
Fluoride was originally added to the water supply because of the belief it could help reduce cavities and improve dental health. Recent research — including a 2026 study released by the American Dental Association — continues to support that finding.
Still, City Council Member Katherine Dahlke said she is hearing safety concerns from residents.
"There has been a growing reaction from the citizens of Two Rivers saying we don't want this in our water anymore," Dahlke said.
Dahlke also raised concerns about how the additive is handled.
"I went to the closed room where this additive is put in the water. The individual has to put on a hazmat suite, there are warning labels, it is checked on a daily basis and it is monitored. That indicates a little bit about the toxicity," Dahlke said.
The discussion is growing across Wisconsin and nationwide. Last year, Utah became the first state to ban fluoride statewide. In Wisconsin, only about 30% of municipalities add fluoride to their water, according to the DNR.
Kordell acknowledged the complexity of the issue.
"This is one of those tough issues where you can argue either side of the coin," Kordell said.
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