Battle Creek cuts fluoride in city water during a chemical shortage

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — Battle Creek has cut the amount of fluoride it adds to the city’s drinking water to conserve supplies during a nationwide shortage of fluoridation chemicals and rising costs, city officials announced Monday.

The city is keeping fluoride at about 0.50 milligrams per liter in treated water, according to the announcement. The recommended target for community water fluoridation is 0.70 milligrams per liter, and the water’s natural fluoride level is about 0.15 to 0.20 milligrams per liter, so the new level falls between the two.

The city made the change Aug. 21, according to the announcement. Based on current projections, existing supplies should last through at least December, and the city plans to seek more supply and steadier pricing through a future bidding process, officials said.

Only the amount added has changed; the city is still fluoridating. Adding fluoride is not required under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, and the adjustment does not change the city’s compliance with that law, the city said.

Battle Creek notified the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, which reported that other water systems in the state face similar supply problems, according to the city.

“Staff continue to monitor supply availability and market conditions,” the announcement said. “The city intends to return to the recommended fluoridation level when practical and economically feasible.”

Residents who want to ask about fluoride, dental health or other drinking water issues can call the city’s Water Department at 269-966-3496 or 269-966-3355, ext. 1827, the city said.

Sources:
City of Battle Creek, “Battle Creek temporarily reduces fluoride levels in drinking water,” Oct. 5, 2026, https://battlecreekmi.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/2575
Ivy S. Fowler, WWMT News Channel 3, “City putting less fluoride in Battle Creek water due to nationwide shortage, rising costs,” Oct. 5, 2026, https://wwmt.com/news/local/fluoride-levels-nationwide-shortage-rising-costs-temporary-reduction-drinking-water-fluoridation-chemicals-egle-battle-creek-calhoun-county-infrastructure-community-health
Photo: Jim Roberts (Boscophotos), “Battle Creek City Hall 2,” October 2014, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), cropped and color-corrected; derivative under the same ShareAlike license, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Battle_Creek_City_Hall_2.jpg

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