Credit to Times Free Press,  Staff Writer Steve Johnson – July 20, 2016 –

Commissioners of Soddy-Daisy’s water treatment system voted Tuesday evening to stop adding fluoride to their water supply. The vote was 6-1.

With the vote, the North West Utility District, which supplies water to about 7,500 residents of Soddy-Daisy and several neighboring communities, becomes the first water system in the state’s four largest counties to stop adding fluoride to its water. About 54 percent of Tennessee water systems currently fluoridate their water.

Several of the commissioners who voted to drop fluoride said the ability of local residents to protect their teeth by using toothpaste or mouthwash that contains fluoride was a factor in their decision.The board’s decision will be put into effect almost immediately. Water system general manager David Collett said he will stop adding fluoride to the water supply as of this morning.