The NSW Ministry of Health has directed Port Macquarie-Hastings Council to commence fluoridation of the district’s water supply from Tuesday, February 21.

Wauchope residents will be the first to receive fluoridated water in the reticulated water supplies servicing the Wauchope, Beechwood, Rawdon Island, Sancrox and Thrumster areas.

The level of fluoride provided to the reticulated water supplies in the Port Macquarie and Camden Haven areas will gradually increase over the next 6 to 12 months.

Reticulated water supplies at the rural villages of Comboyne, Long Flat and Telegraph Point will not be provided with fluoridated water.

Fluoride will be added to the water supply to achieve a concentration of 1mg/litre (1ppm) +/- 5% (allowable range is 0.95ppm to 1.05ppm).

The operation of the centralised fluoridation dosing plant will initially result in a gradual increase in the level of fluoride provided to the majority of water consumers supplied by the Hastings District Water Supply Scheme.

This gradual increase in fluoride content will be due to the initial dilution of the fluoridated water (1 mg/L of fluoride content) supplied from the Rosewood Reservoir site, which is piped into the Port Macquarie Off-Creek Storage Dam.

The existing stored water in the Port Macquarie Off-Creek Storage Dam has a current natural level of fluoride of approximately 0.1 mg/L.