DWP Postpones Water Fluoridation Project
The Department of Water and Power will postpone initiation of a controversial water fluoridation project until August, heading off a legal challenge.
The project was scheduled to begin Monday but will be delayed while administrators meet notification guidelines suggested by the state Health Department, said Pankaj Parekh, DWP manager of regulatory compliance.
“We’re going to do a countywide notification of caregivers because the impact of the process goes across boundaries--people work in one city and live in another [area],” Parekh said.
The City Council in January approved the $1.3-million contract to buy fluoride, noting that state law mandates public drinking water be fluoridated.
The Los Angeles Citizens for Safe Drinking Water sued the council in March, complaining of insufficient notice to the public about the plan.
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