Water superintendent Kendall Chamberlin, a 37-year worker, acknowledged during a September 19 meeting of the town’s Water and Sewer Commission that he lowered the fluoride level to less than half of what's recommended by the state due to his own safety concerns.
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Chamberlin told commissioners he decided to reduce the levels several years ago because “a couple” of water system users told him they were against fluoridation and he preferred to be “ahead of the curve” when it comes to removing chemicals from the water supply.
“I think to err on the side of caution is not a bad position to be in,” Chamberlin told the commission.
He said he recalled lowering it amid media reports about chemicals in dog food and baby formula from China, including one quoting a U.S. senator questioning the wisdom of using fluoride from China in U.S. water supplies.
“Now you’re adding a toxic chemical directly to the water supply from China?” Chamberlin told Seven Days. “I’m sorry, fluoride is a poison.”
