Judge Orders Fluoride Reinstatement in Alabama Water

0:00It's April 2nd. This is Birmingham News Today, your AI-powered local news. A judge in Jefferson County, Alabama, just ordered central Alabama water to bring back fluoride to its supply after ruling they skipped the required. Ninety-day notice to the state. State law says water systems must alert health officials before permanently ditching the treatment, but the utility didn't do that. Earlier this week on April 2nd, the state's top oral health officer testify for hours about fluoride's proven benefits for teeth and spelled out. The exact notification rules. The city stepped up hard, arguing central Alabama water broke the law and demanding an immediate fix. Folks are split on this. Some cheer the pushback for public dental health, while others worry about added costs hitting ratepayers. Three out of the utilities for plans quit adding fluoride back in 2023 or 2024 and the shades mountain one skipped it. For four full years from 2020 to 2024, central Alabama water dropped new details saying

1:03it'd take at least 315 days and nearly $4 million to fire up fluoridation. Across all plans again, the judges call sets the stage for compliance, but expected appeals and more hearings ahead as this water fight bubbles on.