Central Alabama Water Stops Fluoride: Cost-Cutting, Health Risks

0:00Central Alabama water, the biggest utility serving Birmingham, suddenly stopped adding fluoride to drinking water last week to cut costs. They say it will save $3.7 million in repairs and $250,000 a year. Spotsman John Matzen claims most customers haven't gotten fluoride anyway for the past two years because three out of four plants stopped working due. To maintenance issues. Those failures happened in 2023 and 2024 under the old Birmingham Water Works Board. Before state lawmakers replaced it, leaders with a new regional setup. The current CEO, Jeffrey Thompson, ran operations back then and critics say he should have fixed the problems or told the board. Local leaders are fired up. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin called out the move on social media pointing to a recent report that flagged fluoride fixes as essential. Former board chair, Terescia Huffman says management never warned them about the breakdowns,

1:00putting public health at risk for over 500,000 people. The board's now mostly suburban appointees sparking partisan clashes. State health officials confirmed the utility only gave eight days notice instead of the required 90 and they're figuring out next steps. The decision slashed the capital budget in half to $34.9 million dropping fluoride projects entirely. This debate highlights bigger tensions over the water systems overhaul, with lawsuits flying and fingers pointing both ways as residents question, what's next for their tap water? From your city, powered by AI, this is Birmingham News Today.