Local government tender called for Water Fluoridation in New South Wales

A government tender has been issued by Snowy Works and Services, the Business arm of Tumut Shire Council in New South Wales, for the design, supply and delivery of fluoridation equipment for the Tumut Water Supply and the Batlow Water Treatment Plant. This follows on from a recent tender by ROUS water for the construction and operation of the Clunes, Dorroughby, Corndale and Knockrow fluoridation plants which should be operational by early 2001.

Rous Water resolved in April to proceed with the construction and operation of the Clunes, Dorroughby, Corndale and Knockrow fluoridation plants. This decision follows previous decisions by Richmond Valley, Lismore and Ballina Councils in the North Coast
requesting that their public water supplies be fluoridated.

Of its decision to proceed with construction of the fluoridation plants Rous Chairman Councillor Col Sullivan said "I am aware that the issue of fluoride is politically sensitive and of significant interest to the community generally. Rous Water has been instructed by NSW Health to provide fluoridated water to the Councils".

The NSW Department of Health says that Water fluoridation is the most cost-effective and safe means of providing protection from tooth decay. The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention rates water fluoridation as one of 'Top 10 Public Health Measures of the Twentieth Century'. Prior to water fluoridation, dental caries levels in children in New South Wales were one of the highest in the world. In 2000, the results in New South Wales were the best in the developed countries. This dramatic decline in dental caries has been attributed to water fluoridation, the use of fluoride toothpaste and to fluoride tablets. Despite the availability of fluoride toothpaste, children living in un-fluoridated areas have significantly higher dental decay rates than those living in fluoridated areas.

Opponents to fluoridation argue that is an unethical type of mass medication and that there are potentially harmful effects such as Dental Fluorosis. Anti-fluoride campaigners believe they have found a fundamental flaw in the process that has been undertaken by Rous Water and the councils of Lismore, Ballina and Richmond Valley in approving the fluoridation of water supplies. They are planning to take the matter to the Land and Environment Court.

The government tender for design, supply and delivery of fluoridation equipment for the Tumut Water Supply and the Batlow Water Treatment Plant closes on the 15th June.


For more information regarding government tender , please visit
www.australiantenders.com