Benton Harbor City Council discusses voting for adding fluoride back into local water supply

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- The Benton Harbor City Commission could soon vote to put fluoride back into the local drinking water supply to improve community dental health.

The city was one of the first in the state to use fluoride back in 1951, but that ended during the Benton Harbor water crisis and lead line replacement project several years ago.

The vote to resume the fluoridation program was on Wednesday's agenda of the Economic Development and Parks and Recreation Committee meeting.

It comes after an ongoing push from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to support the practice of fluoridating water for oral health purposes.

It's been a topic of discussion over the last year and a half for city leaders, and it hit a stalemate following concerns from some commissioners that fluoride could have negative health effects, and they wanted to make sure proper research is done ahead of making a decision.

Benton Harbor City Manager Alex Little has told ABC57 News that he is a proponent of restarting the fluoridation program.

“I’m totally convinced that it’s in the best interest of our community to resume fluoridating our water,” explained Little in 2025.

According to the American Dental Association, fluoridation has several positive benefits; including prevention of tooth decay, protection against cavities at all ages, and it’s overall safe and effective.

If the Economic Development and Parks and Recreation Committee votes yes to restart the program, it will be back to the desk of the City Commission for a vote.