Fourteen local authorities were directed to start fluoridating their drinking water by the Director-General of Health last week.

While Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) wasn’t one of them, it is part of a second group which has previously been warned it is being ‘actively considered’ for fluoridation

Around half of New Zealand’s drinking water supply is fluoridated, the Ministry of Health said.

The 14 local authorities directed to fluoridate were prioritised “based on readiness to fluoridate, cost/value for money, high population reach, geographic coverage and equity/high need”, a Ministry of health spokesperson told the Wānaka App.

QLDC, meanwhile, is one of 27 local authorities which were advised by the Director-General of Health in 2022 that they were being actively considered for a direction to fluoridate.

“These water supplies remain under active consideration, however the Director-General is taking further time,” the Ministry of Health said. 

“This is to allow consideration of the impact of several wider factors including reform across the water services sector, and service delivery pressures across the local government sector.”

A QLDC spokesperson told the Wānaka App this week the council had “no intention to voluntarily fluoridate at this time”.

However, “...we continue to factor possible investment into our long-term planning in case further decisions are made by the government relating to QLDC”.

PHOTO: Supplied