Ponca City Water System Recognized by OSDH for Fluoridation

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) announced today that 13 water systems in Oklahoma have been awarded a Water Fluoridation Quality Award from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the year 2019.

Fluoridation is the adjustment of fluoride in drinking water to a level that is effective for preventing tooth decay. The award recognizes those communities which achieved excellence in community water fluoridation by maintaining a consistent optimal level of fluoride in drinking water throughout 2019.

“The Oklahoma State Department of Health supports community water fluoridation and recognizes the practice as beneficial to all who drink and use the water,” said Dr. Jana Winfree, Director of Dental Health Service for OSDH. “Preventive dental care programs, such as community water fluoridation, make a real difference in improving the health of Oklahomans.”

The following Oklahoma water systems received awards:

• Bartlesville Water Treatment Plant
• Chickasha Municipal Authority
• City of Madill
• Muskogee Water Treatment Plant
• Oklahoma Ordnance Works Authority – Pryor Creek
• Oklahoma City – Draper Water Treatment Plant
• Oklahoma State University – Stillwater
• Ponca City Municipal Water
• City of Sand Springs
• City of Stillwater
• Tahlequah Public Works Authority – Lake Tenkiller Plant
• Tulsa – A.B. Jewell Water Treatment Plant
• Tulsa – Mohawk Water Treatment Plant

Community water fluoridation has been recognized by CDC as one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th Century. CDC recommends water fluoridation as one of the most practical, cost-effective, equitable, and safe measures a community can take to prevent tooth decay and improve oral health.

“Water fluoridation is one of the best investments that a community can make in maintaining the oral health of its citizens. It is equally as effective in preventing cavities in children and adults,” stated Casey Hannan, MPH, Director, CDC Division of Oral Health. “Fluoridation is also highly cost effective. Studies continue to show that for every $1 a community invests in water fluoridation, $20 are saved in dental treatment costs.”

For more information about community water fluoridation, visit cdc.gov/fluoridation.